Economics and policy research at ILRI, 1975-2018.

Abstract

This chapter looks at the livestock policy and economics research at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and its predecessor, the International Livestock Centre for Africa (ILCA), which have focused on the following problems: (i) the historical problem of supply response; (ii) animal health services and productivity; (iii) responding to the 'Livestock Revolution'; (iv) policy and technical barriers to smallholder dairying; (v) livestock and poverty; (vi) markets, institutions and competitiveness; (vii) land tenure; and (viii) livestock master plans. The research spending and the scientific and development impacts of ILRI's policy and economics research are also highlighted.

Price predictors in an extended hedonic regression framework: An application to wholesale cattle markets in Ethiopia

“…However, regional average cattle prices in Somalia grew at a high average monthly rate of 1.25%, and as expected the estimate of this variable is positive, although the elasticity is relatively low at 5.2%. Still, this suggests some pressure on regional demand, which is important given that many Ethiopian cattle from the agro‐pastoralist lowlands end up in markets in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East (Jabbar et al., 2007).…”

“…Table 4 reports estimates from regressions that split the sample by highland markets (where mixed crop‐livestock farming predominates and farmers mostly own one to two cattle primarily for a variety of functions including traction) and lowland markets (where agro‐pastoralism predominates, with large herds specialized for beef production). Unsurprisingly—given the extensive structural differences of these agro‐ecologies and different marketing channels (Jabbar et al., 2007)—there are a number of sizable and statistically significant differences across the two sets of markets.…”

“…traction) and lowland markets (where agro-pastoralism predominates, with large herds specialized for beef production). Unsurprisingly-given the extensive structural differences of these agro-ecologies and different marketing channels (Jabbar et al, 2007)-there are a number of sizable and statistically significant differences across the two sets of markets.…”

“…Advantageously, these markets are spread between highland areas that practice mixed crop‐livestock farming (where most households own a handful of cattle at most) and lowland pastoralist areas where many households have very large herds and are highly specialized in livestock production. Specifically, six markets are in the southern Ethiopia (Borena) lowlands along the Southern Ethiopia‐Southern Somalia‐Northern Kenya cattle trade route, 14 are in eastern and north‐eastern Ethiopia along the Ethiopia‐Djibouti‐Somaliland (Puntland/Northern Somalia) cattle trade route (Jabbar et al., 2007), while the remaining 19 markets are in the highlands. We also emphasize that cattle trade is complex in Ethiopia, with pastoralist animals formally and informally crossing borders for export, but also traded domestically to the more heavily populated Ethiopian highlands, usually for fattening prior to sale in urban markets (Jabbar et al., 2007).…”

Foresight for income and employment: What can we learn for agricultural research for development

“…For some developing countries, ensuring food safety for the masses would involve a flexible retail modernization approach that does not focus on supermarkets alone (Wertheim-Heck, Vellema, & Spaargaren, 2015). Early work showed that informal milk markets created more employment per unit of product than did formal markets in Kenya, Bangladesh, and Ghana, and has been the bases for the longstanding involvement of CGIAR researchers in dairy sector reforms in Kenya (Jabbar et al, 2020).…”