SHEEP AND GOAT MARKET CHAIN ANALYSIS: THE CASE OF KEBRIBAYAH DISTRICT OF SOMALI REGION, ETHIOPIA

The study was initiated with the objectives of analyzing the structure, conduct and performance of markets to measure the efficiency of pastoral and agro pastoral participation in sheep and goats market chains and examine the major factors that influence the quantity of sheep and goats marketed by the producer households. Three steps Stratified random sampling procedure was used to determine the sample households based on the farming system and accessibility of the kebeles of the district.The data were collected from both primary and secondary sources. The primary data was collected from 123 households randomly selected, 10 traders,5 brokers,3 agents for exporters and abattoirs and 4 cooperatives that interviewed through a semi-structured questionnaire as key informant. The market chain analysis revealed that the major actors in the district being sheep and goat producers, different traders, brokers andconsumers. It was identified that producer’s share of marketing margin and consumer price was the lowest along the sheep and goat market channels due toun- organized marketing system in the study area.Tobit model was used to identify factors affecting producer’s participation of sheep and goat marketing and the quantity marketed or sold in the study area. The result indicated that sheep and goat market participation of the sample households and the xii quantity of sheep and goat sales in the year of the study was significantly affected by the relation of the house hold with the traders, livestock feeding practice and management, access to veterinary services, immediate source of the household income, the market price, sheep and goat herd size, access to the market center and the farming system of the households.Therefore, policy and strategies aiming at developing producers and traders market integration and institutionalization, better methods of livestock production and marketing, better feeding and pasture management, market price,sheep and goats flock size,timely and adequate veterinary services, and improving market infrastructures are recommended to accelerate sheep and goatproducer’s market chain participation and their marketed surplus in the study area.