AGRICULTURE AND BIOLOGY JOURNAL OF NORTH AMERICA ISSN Print: 2151-7517, ISSN Online: 2151-7525, doi:10.5251/abjna.2017.8.1.18.34

© 2017, ScienceHuβ, http://www.scihub.org/ABJNA

Constraints, opportunities and motives of cattle fattening practices in urban and peri-urban kebeles of Kombolcha town, South Wollo Zone,

Ethiopia

Kassahun Ahmed1, Berhan Tamir2 and Ashenafi Mengistu2

1College of Agriculture, Arba Minch University, Arba Minch, Ethiopia 2College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture, Addis Ababa University, Debre-zeit, Ethiopia

Corresponding author 1Email: kassahunahmed220@gmail.com Mobile number: 0922548501

ABSTRACT

The present study was conducted to investigate constraints, opportunities, and motives of cattle fattening in the urban and peri urban kebeles of Kombolcha town. Complete enumeration technique was used to select urban and peri urban kebeles. Similarly, to select individual cattle fatteners complete enumeration technique were applied. A total of 147 cattle fattener were included and interviewed. In addition to structured questionnaire interview, group discussions and key informant interviews were carried out to support the survey data. The major constraints come across by urban cattle fatteners in the study town were feed price increment (1

st), recurrent

drought & feed shortage (2nd

), capital problem (3rd

), credit based market (‘dube’) (4th), illegal

brokers (5th), inadequate practical training support (6

th) difficulty to compare with rural fatteners

(7th), inadequate veterinary services (8

th), limited access to credit (8

th), lack of processed & mixed

ration feed suppliers (10th), shortage of land for expansion (11

th), feed supply organization

provides for specific group (12th), lack of cooperation with in the association member’s (13

th), road

problem to enter the farm (13th), unpredictable cattle market & seasonal price variation (13

th), and

illegal and non-licensed cattle fattener & trader influence (17th) in their order of importance. On

the other hand, major constraints recognized up on peri urban cattle fattening practices were recurrent drought & feed shortage (1

st), feed price increment (2

nd), loose of farming land (3

rd),

inadequate practical training support (4th), and illegal brokers (5

th) in their order of significance

Almost all of the household heads involved in cattle fattening in Kombolcha town were male headed (92.7%) when compare to female’s (7.3%).The overall cattle fatteners involved in the study were between the ages of 24.9 to 50.4 years. The average age was 37.6 years. In the current study town, about 9.4% and 13.6 %, were taken religious and basic education ‘Meserete timihert’ whereas, the rest accounted for about 12.5%, 13.7%, 31.2% and 19.8% had formal educational background of 1

st cycle primary school (1-4), 2

nd cycle primary school (5-8),

secondary school (9-10), and preparatory school (11-12), respectively. The average family size of the households is 7.4 persons per family. Farming (56.3%), cattle fattening (43.1%), and civil servant (0.6 %) were the identified income source of cattle fatteners in Kombolcha town. All of the participants in urban kebeles were fatten cattle’s for income (16 %) and profit (84 %) purpose, similarly, peri urban areas keep fattening cattle for similar reason with 48.1 % and 51.9%, respectively. In addition to the identified constraints the cattle fattening sector in Kombolcha town tightened with so many challenges which needs short and long term solution. Better housing system (clustering approach), absence of endemic fattening cattle health problem, presence of suitable and conducive environment, being there of two functional flour factories, increase in demand for meat, federal as well as regional government emphasis, motives and interest of the educated society to be part of the sector, availability of infrastructure such as road, and electric access were the identified opportunities for cattle fattening sector in Kombolcha town. Key words: Cattle; Challenge; Constraint; Opportunities; Peri urban; Urban.

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INTRODUCTION

The incidence for high rate of urban growth is a common phenomenon in many developing countries. The research study area, Kombolcha town is one of the urban towns in Ethiopia that has been selected and recognized for industry development zone at the regional and federal government levels has recorded fast expansion rate in urban land use change in the peripheral agricultural farmlands. The strategy that has been applied for urban expansion is the reclassification of the six peri-urban rural kebeles to be count as urban settings. The extent of urban land use change ranges with the radius of 5-10 Km distance expansion from the center of the town in all directions. Since the year 2005-2011 an estimated of 2461 farmers in the peripheral agricultural land have been evicted and dispossessed from farmlands ownership (Kombolcha municipality official document, 2002). Again, the town is one of the fastest growing industrial development center towns in the Amhara Regional State expanded at distressing rate towards the peripheral productive farmlands for searching space to urban development purposes. As the town expanded, the areas surrounding often subjected to rapid changes: agricultural lands possibly converted to housing and commercial use, job opportunities for the peri-urban inhabitants shifted from those based on agriculture to more urban pursuits. Urbanization is profoundly affected the primary sources livelihoods of farmers in the peri-urban areas consisted of subsistence agriculture and some market-oriented productions. Loss of livelihood assets due to urban expansion therefore has led the peri urban farming community to being lack of access to farmlands, which was crucial as factor of production that could easily lead to poverty and food insecurity. Furthermore, the evicted farmers’ ability to diversify income sources sustainably to solve the problem being landlessness due to urban expansion in the future was also highly questionable. Programmatic interventions that promoting in creating sustainable livelihood asset building among the evicted peri urban farmers and urban dwellers for meeting their basic needs is essential alternatives with intensive efforts that are required coordinating action of local government and partner organizations such as NGOs, and private sectors (Muluwork, 2014).

Recognizing the situation, great population pressure in and around cities, coupled with the economic crises throughout the North Ethiopian Highlands has led to a tremendous increase in the last decade of total city area under food production. Such activity is

known as urban and/or peri-urban agriculture. Urban and peri-urban agriculture is practiced for a variety of reasons, from commercial reasons to food self-sufficiency to food security (Yitaye et al., 2007). Cattle fattening is one of the newly incipient activity. The sector is an emerging for employment and income generation for urban and peri urban dwellers. Particularly, for those vacant farmers due to urbanization and cattle fattening associations organized at small scale micro finance level. Cattle fattening is an effective tool for poverty alleviation and become an important business sector. Simultaneously, attention needs to be focused on smallholder cattle fatteners, organized groups as well as private sector as engines of economic vitality. In Ethiopia, governmental and non-governmental organizations currently encourage the emerging small scale fattening farms and support establishments of the sector either in cooperative or private form.

However, there is limited information about constraints, opportunities, challenges, economic efficiencies, production potentials and performances of beef animals under this sector (Bezahegn, 2014) and also particularly, the constraints, opportunities and challenges faced were not properly assessed. Moreover, the important aspects and limitations of the different farming systems in the urban and peri-urban areas of north western Ethiopia were not yet well studied and documented. Among them, the level of integration, the limitations and the advantages of farming systems seem to be most important (Yitaye et al., 2007). Conversely, majority of previous research works focused on rural cattle fattening practice. As a result, information regarding urban and peri urban cattle fattening practices, is rather limited (Getinet et al., 2009). Therefore, more work and investigation are required in order to pinpoint the current overall activities and performance in the urban and peri urban cattle fattening sector to design appropriate improvement technologies. Accordingly, all these conditions require generating information on constraints, opportunities, motives, appropriate feeding and management strategies for urban as well as peri urban cattle fattening. Cognizant of this, and recognizing the fact that, the Amhara Regional Government, in its recent comprehensive plan for agriculture has given particular attention to the promotion of cattle fattening development (BoARD, 2004). Therefore, it is essential to generate information regarding constraints, opportunities, challenges and motives of the newly emerging urban and peri urban cattle fattening practices in

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20

Kombolcha town. Accordingly, based on the above background, the current study was designed to identify the constraints, opportunities and to assess motives of cattle fattening practices in the urban and peri urban kebeles of Kombolcha town.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Study Area: Kombolcha is an industrial town found in the north-central part of Ethiopia in South Wollo Zone of the Amhara Regional state. It is situated at a distance of 377 km from north of Addis Ababa, 505 km from the regional capital city, Bahirdar, 23 km from the zonal Town Dessie and 533 km from port Djibouti. Astronomically the town is located at about 11

0 6’ N latitude and 39

0 45’ E longitude. The

delimitation of the town is bounded by Dessie Zuria Woreda in the north east and north west, Kalu Woreda in the south and Albuko Woreda in the south west (Muluwork, 2014). Mean annual rainfall is 1046 mm while annual maximum and minimum temperatures are 26.5

oC and 12.3

oC, respectively

(Samuel, 2012). The town is located in a range of altitudes between 1,500 and 1,840 meter above sea level. Kombolcha is one of the reform towns in the region and has a town administration, municipality, 5 urban and 6 rural kebeles. The city shares Kombolcha airport with its neighboring town, Dessie. Kombolcha is one of the few towns in Ethiopia with a relative greater number of large scale manufacturing plants including BGI-Brewery Factory, Textile Factory, ELFORA-Meat Processing Factory, Tannery, Steel Product Industry and Flour Factory. On top of this, the town is selected to be an industrial town by Amhara National Regional State of Ethiopia (Eskinder Z et.al., 2010). Sampling procedure and sample size: Due to manageable number of cattle fatteners complete enumeration technique (censes) were applied to select both urban and peri urban kebeles as well as group and individual cattle fatteners. Basically, the urban cattle fatteners organized in to three sub class of associations called ‘mahiber’ depend on the number of members they bounded. ‘Yegel’ is an association which has one member only. ‘Shirikina Mahiber’ is associations which comprise two to nine members. ‘Mahiber’ is an association which comprises the largest number of participants which incorporate ten and more than that. With this information, the urban cattle fatteners result presented accordingly. The indicated sub classes were organized by Micro and Small Enterprises Office collaboration with the Agriculture Office. Accordingly, the office arranged cattle fattening

exercising house with five years agreement for all organized team called clustering approach or clustering system. Generally, for this study urban and peri urban kebeles as well as individuals and groups who practices cattle fattening within each kebeles were completely considered. Accordingly, Abisha Ber (01), Junior Akababi (02), Soperal (04), and Berbere Wonz (05) were considered from urban kebeles which holds different organized cattle fatteners. Aba Kolba (06), Muteager (07), Erfo (08), Tiyuamba (09), Metene (010), and Galasa (015) were designated from peri urban kebeles for the study. All registered cattle fatteners from each urban and peri urban kebele were totally considered. Accordingly, 13, 1, 21, 15, 26, 27, 4, 13, 20 and 7 were taken from Abisha Ber (01), Junior Akababi (02), Soperal (04), and Berbere Wonz (05), Aba Kolba (06), Muteager (07), Erfo (08), Tiyuamba (09), Metene (010), and Galasa (015), respectively. The first four values were taken from urban kebeles and the rest were taken from peri urban kebels. Therefore, totally, a sample size of 147 cattle fatteners (66 urban and 81 peri urban which embraces 25‘Yegel’ participants, 6 different ‘Shirikina mahiber’ totally hold 25 members, one ‘Mahiber’ squeeze 16 members) was used for the survey study. Data collection and analysis: Information about cattle fatteners (households) characteristics, major constraints, opportunities, and challenges of urban and peri urban cattle fattening practices were collected using a pre tested and structured questionnaire. Key informant interviews were carried out regarding major constraints, opportunities and challenges with Agriculture Offices Experts and Developing Agents. Furthermore, formal and informal group as well as individual discussions were carried out with urban and peri urban cattle fatteners. Researcher personal observations together with his practical experience in the study town associated with cattle fattening was incorporated. Consequently, all the collected data were coded and entered into a data base using statistical package for social sciences (SPSS). Descriptive statistics such as mean, percentiles, frequencies and GLM of the statistical software were used to analyze the data using the SPSS statistical software (SPSS for windows, release 20, 2011). Index was calculated to provide ranking of the constraints of urban and peri urban cattle fattening practices according to below indicated formula. Index of cattle fattening constraints was calculated. First a weighted value was given for each constraint based on their rank (3 for the 1

st constraint, 2 for the

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21

2nd

constraint, and 1 for the 3rd

constraint). The number of household’s response for a particular constraint was multiplied by a given weighted value. Then the rank was given by dividing the value of each constraint to the total sum of all constraints. RESULTS Constraints of urban and peri-urban cattle fattening practices: The major constraints come across by urban cattle fatteners in the study town were feed price increment (1

st), recurrent drought &

feed shortage (2nd

), capital problem (3rd

), credit based market (‘dube’) (4

th), illegal brokers (5

th), inadequate

practical training support (6th), difficulty to compare

with rural cattle fatteners (7th), inadequate veterinary

services (8th), limited access to credit (8

th), lack of

processed & mixed ration feed suppliers (10th),

shortage of land for expansion (11th), provision of

feed supply organizations for specific group only (12

th), lack of cooperation with in the association

member’s (13th), road problem to enter the farm

(13th), unpredictable cattle market (15

th), illegal and

non-licensed cattle fattener & trader influence (15th),

and seasonal cattle price variation (15th) in order of

importance (Table 1). On the other hand, recurrent drought & feed shortage (1

st), feed price increment

(2nd

), loose of farming land (3rd

), inadequate practical training support (4

th), and illegal brokers (5

th) were

the major constraints identified up on peri urban cattle fattening practices in their order of significance (Table 1). Challenges on cattle fattening practices: On top of the identified constraints, the urban and peri urban cattle fattening practices of Kombolcha town was tightened with so many challenges which need short and long term solution. As a result, as per the group discussion and key informant interview held with urban and peri urban cattle fatteners, Agricultural Experts and Development Agents (DAs), challenges which hinders cattle fattening practices in urban and peri urban areas were identified and summarized with their degree of severity in Table 2. Household characteristics of urban and peri urban cattle fatteners Sex of household heads: The data revealed that almost all of the household heads involved in cattle fattening in Kombolcha town were male headed (92.7%) when compare to female’s (7.3%) (Table 3), this is due to the nature of the sector; it needs intensive energy for proper handling of the cattle, may be females focused on other work opportunities. Further, the management practices such as feed collection, feeding, watering, cattle purchasing, and selling process required strong commitment and

energy. Lack of interest also may be additional reason. On the other hand, urban female participants were slightly higher (12.0%) than the peri urban (2.5%).This is due to the influence of urban agriculture. Male participants are almost comparable in both urban and peri urban kebeles (Table 3). Generally, female participation as owner was less than the male in the cattle fattening sector in Kombolcha town. Age of the household heads: It is revealed that the overall cattle fatteners involved in the study were between in the age of 24.9 to 50.4 years. The average age was 37.6 years (Table 3) which indicated that in the current study town the middle age category of the community engaged in cattle fattening sector. In the case of urban and peri urban kebeles, the average age was 32.9 and 42.2 years, respectively. The data revealed that the urban cattle fattening accomplished by young generation than the peri urban in Kombolcha town. Education status of household head: Out of the total household heads included in the current study, about 9.4% and 13.6 %, were taken religious and basic education ‘Meserete timihert’ whereas, the rest accounted for about 12.5%, 13.7%, 31.2% and 19.8% had formal educational background of 1

st cycle

primary school (1-4), 2nd

cycle primary school (5-8), secondary school (9-10) and preparatory school (11-12), respectively. When associate the education level of urban and peri urban cattle fatteners, urban cattle fatteners was achieved the 2

nd cycle primary school

(5-8)(12.5 %), secondary school (9-10) (56.3 %), and preparatory school (11-12) (31.3%) while with some exception majority of peri urban cattle fatteners (75.3%) was with in and below 2

nd cycle primary

school (5-8) (Table 3). The difference may be due to the way of living and degree of focus for education. Such education achievements in the peri urban participants were negative impact for the introduction of modern cattle fattening technology as well as adoption of modern fattening approach. Family size of the household or member size of the association: According to the result, in Kombolcha town the average family size of the household was 7.4 persons per family. The maximum and minimum household sizes were 9.5 and 4.7 persons per family (Table 3). The average family size of the urban and peri urban cattle fatteners were 8.5 and 6.2 person per family, respectively. The urban result was higher, due to those individual cattle fatteners’ or participants organized together in to associations count as a family member form each association.

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Table 1. Constraints of cattle fattening in urban and peri urban kebeles of Kombolcha town

Cattle fattening constraints

Peri urban fatteners (n = 81) Urban fatteners (n = 66)

Constraint priority

TW Index Rank Constraint priority

TW Index Rank

1st 2

nd 3

rd 1

st 2

nd 3

rd

1 Recurrent drought & feed shortage 32 27 22 172 0.354 1 18 12 8 88 0.221 2

2 Feed price increment 20 16 22 114 0.235 2 32 25 17 163 0.410 1

3 Inadequate practical training support 12 14 12 76 0.156 4 0 3 3 9 0.023 6 4 Loose of farming land 11 18 15 84 0.173 3 - - - - - -

5 Illegal brokers 6 6 10 40 0.082 5 0 4 3 11 0.028 5

6 Capital problem 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 14 11 9 73 0.183 3

7 Credit based market 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 2 3 4 16 0.040 4

8 Difficulty to compare with rural fatteners 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 3 1 7 0.018 7

9 Limited access to credit 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 1 4 6 0.015 8

10 Inadequate veterinary services 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 2 2 6 0.015 8

11 Lack of processed & mixed ration feed suppliers 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 1 3 5 0.013 10

12 Shortage of land for expansion 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 1 2 4 0.010 11

13 Feed supply organization provide for specific group 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 0 3 3 0.008 12

14 Lack of cooperation with in the association member’s 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 0 2 2 0.005 13

15 Road problem to enter the farm 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 0 2 2 0.005 13

16 Unpredictable cattle market & seasonal price variation 0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 0 2 2 0.005 13

17 Illegal and non-licensed cattle fattener s & traders influence

0 0 0 0 0.000 0 0 0 1 1 0.003 17

TW= Total Weight

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Table 2: Challenges of cattle fattening practices with degree of severity in urban and peri urban kebeles of Kombolcha Town.

Challenges of cattle fattening practices urban Peri urban

Challenges raised by urban and peri urban cattle fatteners

Fast expansion rate in urban land use change in the peripheral agricultural farmlands and negative impact of urbanization which leads to farm lands allocated to investors and for urban expansion

√ √√

Delay of working license √

Lack of governmental feed processing factories and transport cost difficulty to collect different feeds from different feed suppliers. √√ √

Limited practical experiences of experts and development agents √√ √√

Absence of manual and guide for cattle fattener which used as a quick reference √√ √

Kombolcha meat processing factory gather emaciated cattle’s and absence of readiness to take fattened cattle √√

Transport cost and challenge to get molasses from Afar region to purchase in group wise due to lack of cooperatively √

Lack of simple cattle handling equipment, such as nose ring to protect human damage from aggressive cattle √√ √√

Absence of market information from governmental offices and different medias √√ √√

Completely lack of well-designed cattle transportation path and transportation system √√ √

Challenges raised by Agricultural Experts and Development Agent’s

o Less consideration is given for animal science sector compare to other agriculture field of study like crop and natural resources sector at office level. In peri urban kebeles animal’s science expertise engaged and evaluated by other agriculture activities. .

o Consistently, fewer activities performed to update the practical skill of office and kebele expertise and Animal scientists by themselves

are not practical model in the fattening sector. Drifting of animal science experts to other field of study. o During reporting great emphasis is given for other agricultural science field than Animal Science.

√√ √√

Fattening activities considered as side line job. Farmers and peri urban cattle fatteners give great focus for crop than cattle fattening. It is considered as a byproduct of farming and traditional cattle handling culture is the dominant practices.

√√

Absence of live-weight based price marketing √√ √√

Challenges raised by professionals (Agricultural Experts and Development Agent’s) and urban and peri urban cattle fatteners in common

Lack of modern fattening experience and absence of model governmental farm for practical demonstration in the vicinity. √ √√

Absence of market linkage √√ √

Poor cattle market infrastructures and poor or no market service other than fencing. √√ √√

Challenges upstretched by Kombolcha ELFORA meat processing factory

The meat factory complains there is no cattle fattening farm which has continuous capacity to supply up to the factory demand. √√ √

Challenges observed by the researcher

Lack of organized and computerized recording system at town office and kebele level. In addition, less consistent recording at individual urban cattle fatteners level where as no at all in peri urban fattening.

√ √√

Individuals or groups open cattle fattening farm without professional license √ √√

Cattles to be fattened trek long distance without feed and rest services and no reserved area for rest, feed ing and watering with minimum cost

√√ √√

Number of signs (√) increased indicates the degree of severity of the challenge

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Table 3: Sex, age, educational status, family size, income source, livestock holding and fattening experience of urban and peri urban cattle fatteners in Kombolcha town

Household characteristics Peri urban

n= 81

Urban Overall mean n=147 YM

n = 25 SM

n = 25(6)* M

n = 16(1)* Mean n = 66

Sex of household head (%)

Male 97.5 (79) 92.0 (23) 72.0 (18) 100 (16) 88 92.7

Female 2.5 (2) 8.0(2) 28.0 (7) 0.0 (0) 12 7.3

Age of the household head (years)

Min. 23 32 24 24 26.7 24.9

Max. 60 44 39 39 40.7 50.4

Mean 42.2 34.8 30.6 33.3 32.9 37.6 Education status of household head (%)

Religious knowledge 14.8 (12) 12.0(3) 0.00 0.00 4.0 9.4

‘Meserete timihert’ 27.2 (22) 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.0 13.6

1st cycle primary school (1-4) 22.2 (18) 8.0(2) 0.00 0.00 2.7 12.5

2nd

cycle primary school (5-8) 11.1 (9) 4.0 (1) 32.0 (8) 12.5 (2) 16.2 13.7

Secondary school (9-10) 21.0(17) 52.0(13) 16.0 (4) 56.3 (9) 41.4 31.2

Preparatory school (11-12) 3.7 (3) 24.0 (6) 52.0 (13) 31.3 (5) 35.8 19.8

Family size of the household /members size of the association (persons)

Min. 2 3 3 16 7.3 4.7

Max. 9 7 7 16 10 9.5

Mean 6.2 4.9 4.7 16 8.5 7.4

Income sources of household head (%)

Cattle fattening 25.9 (21) 60 (15) 100 (25) 100 (16) 86.7 56.3

Farming 72.8 (59) 40(10) 0 0 13.3 43.1

Civil servant 1.2 (1) 0 0 0 0 0.6

Other trade other than cattle 0.0(0) 0 0 0 0 0

Cattle trade 0.0 (0) 0 0 0 0 0

Livestock holding (%)

Yes 37 (30) 28.0 (7) 0 0 9.3 23.2

No 63 (51) 72 (18) 100 (25) 100 (16) 90.7 76.8

Cattle fattening experience (years)

Min. 4 1 2 2 1.7 2.9

Max. 13 3 2 2 2.33 7.7

Mean 7.6 1.7 2 2 1.9 4.8

YM = ‘Yegil Mahiber’ SM= ‘Shirkina Mahiber’ M= ‘Mahiber’ ( )* = numbers with indicate sign show number of associations, ( ) = numbers with the indicate sign show values

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Income sources of household head: Farming (56.3%), cattle fattening (43.1%), civil servant (employment in different organization) (0.6 %) were the identified income sources for those cattle fatteners participated in the study. Farming different crops (72.8 %) followed by cattle fattening (25.9 %) were the income source of peri urban cattle fatteners. The rest, secure their income by employing themselves in government institutions and NGO as civil servant (1.2 %). Cattle fattening (86.7%) and farming (13.3%) were the only income sources to secure their needs in urban kebeles in Kombolcha town.

Reasons of livestock holding: The survey data indicated that more than half (63%) of the cattle fatteners was no livestock in peri urban kebeles. This is due to lack of exercising area because of urbanization. On the other hand, none of cattle fatteners in urban kebeles holds livestock except (9.3 %). As indicated in figure 1 more than half of the peri urban cattle fatteners (60%) hold livestock for milk production. This is due to peri urban cattle fatteners live near urban kebeles, hence, milk production and selling was one source of income. The rest handle livestock for income generating (13.3%), draft power purpose (16.7 %), and profit (16.7 %). In the case of urban kebeles 9.3 % of ‘yegel’ fatteners live nearest to peri urban kebeles only hold livestock totally (100%) for milk production (Figure 1).

Reasons of cattle fattening practices: At urban level all of the participants were fatten cattle’s for two

main reasons, such as, for income (16 %) and profit (84 %) purposes. Similarly, the purposes were similar in peri urban areas with 48.1 % and 51.9% proportion hold for income and profit purposes, respectively (Figure 2). 84%, 100%,100% urban cattle fatteners structured in ‘yegel’, ‘shirkina mahiber’, and ‘mahibers’ were fatten cattle for profit purpose, respectively. Except 16% of ‘yegel’ cattle fatteners fatten for income sources (Figure 2).

Cattle fattening experience: Based on the survey data, the overall average cattle fattening experiences of the participants in Kombolcha town was 4.8 years which indicates the sector is very young compare to other part of the country such as Hararage highlands. On the other hand, urban and peri urban cattle fattening sector score 1.9 and 7.6 years of fattening experiences, respectively. The year of experiences of cattle fatteners clearly indicate that the urban cattle fattening practices in the study area was very young and newly emerging sector compare to the peri urban. The cattle fatteners were no long year experiences hence, they need strong technical support for the sustainable improvement.

Opportunities for cattle fattening practices in urban and peri urban kebeles: The identified cattle fattening opportunities in Kombolcha town related to housing, feed resources, cattle marketing, government considerations, better environmental condition, motives and support, infrastructure and veterinary services were presented as follows:

Fig. 1: Reasons of livestock keeping by peri urban and urban study households in Kombolcha town (%).

13.3

0

60

100

10 0

16.7

0 0

20

40

60

80

100

120

Peri urban ‘Yegel’

Income source

for milk

for draft power

for profit

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Fig. 2: Reasons of cattle fattening practices by urban and peri urban cattle fatteners in Kombolcha town (%).

Opportunities interrelated to cattle housing: Presence of already prepared new cattle housing (shade) at selected kebeles level.

Opportunities related to suitability of the environment: Presence of suitable and favorable environment for cattle fattening.

Opportunities associated to agricultural expert’s allocation: In contrast to the peri urban areas, in urban kebeles animal scientists’ expertise was assigned only for the purpose of animal sciences activity and guidance (Researcher observation).

Opportunities associated to feed resources suppliers:

Presence of two functional flour factories

which have better efficiency and served as a byproduct source such as wheat bran, wheat middling and factory left over.

Presence and advancement of minor and

small scale food processers at individual and group wise level.

The advancement of milling house served

as a source for different processed and leftover feeds.

Presence of one strong poultry farm

(Kombolcha poultry farm) and additional newly emerging small scale poultry farms in the town used as a source of poultry litter.

Presence of KOMBOLCHA BGI ETHIOPIA, used as a continuous wet and dried brewery grain supplier with minimum price.

Establishment of sugar factory around the

boundary region (Afar Region). The byproducts of the factory, such as molasses, sugarcane tops and leaf parts could be potential feed supplement for the fattening cattle.

Good hay preparation experience of the farmers in vicinity Woredas.

Accessibility of the study town near the capital city of Addis Ababa, Mekele, Afar region which will be additional cattle market and feed sources.

Centrally of the study town for different rural and urban Woredas particularly, for Kutaber, Dessie town, Dessie Zuriya, Hayik, Woryilu, Borena, Tenta, and Ajibar Woredas provide better advantage to collect different feeds.

There is a huge coverage of crop production (maize, teff, wheat) in and around the study town which is one possible means of by products as a source of feed.

Opportunities linked to cattle market: The increase in number of hotels, and

restaurants in the towns due to the increased in demand for meat

Emerging middle-class urban dwellers with higher income and more buying power.

The study town becomes more urbanized and industrialized than before and urban

48.1

16

51.9

84

100 100

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

peri urban Yegel mahiber Shirkinamahiber

Mahiber

for income source

for profit

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dwellers increased the use of animal product, particularly, meat comes from fattened cattle aggressively.

Being there of ten and more cattle market in different days in and around the study town.

The central location of town with Afar and Tigray Region has another advantage, which could be used as a potential source of fattening cattle. This opportunity enables the study area to use the unexploited cattle resources of Afar, Raya Azebo and Wollo high land zebu cattle comes from Kutaber, Dessie town, Dessie Zuriya, Hayik, Woryilu, Borena, Tenta, and Ajibar.

Presence of huge meat processing factory (Kombolcha ELFORA) with in the town. For the future served as a chief customer for marketable fatten cattle in and around the study town.

Opportunities related to government plan and considerations: At federal as well as regional government

level great emphasis was given for urban agriculture which includes cattle fattening as one of the development structure.

The 2nd

growth and transformation plan of the Amhara Region considered cattle fattening as primary and most focused important activity. Moreover, the inclusion of urban agriculture in the town master plan of the study towns in general and cattle fattening in particular helps in getting more attention for the future by the concerned higher officials of the town.

At each structural level presence of assigned experts and DAs at kebele and woreda level for the technical support and extension services.

Opportunities associated to motives and supports: Motives and interest of the educated society

to be part of the sector in the study town. Not only animal scientists but also those graduates from other field.

Different supports and motivations from government side for jobless urban and rural dwellers and investors.

Indigenous cattle fattening knowledge and cultural medication for fattening cattle.

Urban and peri urban cattle fatteners’ idea sharing, copying and better adoption tradition from model cattle fatteners.

Clustered fattening approach in specified fattening zone makes the monitoring and guidance activities more easy and it creates better media for experience sharing.

Opportunities interrelated to infrastructure: Availability of infrastructure such as road, electric access, communication means (mobile) and availability of adequate quality and quantity water supply.

Opportunities related to veterinary services and animal health: Absence of endemic fattening cattle health

problem. Availability of private veterinary services

(satellite medication site).

Opportunities related to adaptation: Good adaptation and better experience of cattle fatteners to use poultry litter.

DISCUSSION

Cattle fattening was holds the major share of income sources for household heads in urban areas of Kombolcha. This is may be due to the influence of urban agriculture and educated urban dwellers become part of the sector and /or due to urbanization the peri urban fatteners forced to be part of a business in urban area. This finding agree with Ehui et al. (2002) which indicates livestock are important source of cash income and play an important role in ensuring food security and alleviating poverty. As a whole, in Kombolcha town cattle fatteners mainly nourish cattle’s for the purpose of generating income and profit. Particularly the first and second purpose of cattle fattening in urban and peri urban areas were similar which were income and profit. This is may be due to the way of living near and within urban town leads to different cash expense to run the day to day life. Generally, the current study indicate that cattle fattening become one means of job opportunity and income source for urban and peri urban cattle fatteners. The current finding support the idea of Siegmund-Schultze et al. (2009) which reported that in Ethiopia, the demand for livestock products is increasing due to the growing urban population, while farm areas are shrinking much as a result of an increase population and urbanization. In addition Yitaye et al. (2007) explained that urban and peri-urban agriculture is practiced for a variety of reasons,

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from commercial reasons to food self-sufficiency to food security.

On the other hand, in the study area, there were a lot of opportunities to boost up the sector. For example presence of huge meat processing factory, cattle traders, hotels and restaurants, presence of large number of cattle population in and around the study town and the region and existence of different cattle markets were their own contribution for the improvement of cattle marketing condition. Similarly Gebreegzabeher and Gebrehiwot, (2011) reported that, the existence of different abattoirs and live animal exporters in and around peri-urban, urban towns and large cities such as Addis Ababa, Adama, Mojo, Dukam and Debre-Zeit/Bishoftu created a favorable environment for live animal market. In addition presence of different feed suppliers such as flour and brewery factories, small food processors and poultry farms, food traders with in a town used as a feed source for cattle fattening practices. Likewise, Gebreegzabeher and Gebrehiwot, (2011) reported that urban livestock keeping offers an opportunity to make use of household wastes, agro-industrial by products such as molasses and brewery residues, weeds and grass from public lands and crop residues from market and urban farmers.

Establishment of cattle fattening zone and presence of already prepared new cattle housing at selected kebeles level was one of the major identified opportunities in Kombolcha town which makes the cattle fattening practices more easy for guidance and monitoring, manageable, and largely motivate cattle fatteners. Such housing system in the study area called clustering system. Clustering system was new approach which is concerned with preparation of large shade (house) for cattle fattening purpose in a premeditated site based on the master plan of the town. One shade was a capacity to hold 10 to 12 different certified, licensed, trained and weekly monitored organized cattle or small ruminant fattening associations. Therefore, cattle fatteners particularly the urban, organized in to three sub class of associations such as: ‘yigel mahiber’, shirkina mahiber’ and’ mahiber’ based on their interest. Generally, the overall activities guided and monitored by Micro and Small Enterprises Office collaboration with the Agriculture Office. With five years contract agreement the shade (house) was given for each organized cattle fattening association. After five year each association supposes to leave the shade for the new comers. Because the government expect, they

upgrade to the second level of production phase and economic level.

In contrast, the urban and peri-urban cattle fattening practices in the current study town were caught up with so many constraints and challenges which necessitate short and long term solutions. Accordingly, the major constraints and challenges of urban and peri-urban cattle fattening practices were discussed and presented as follows:

Limited feed resources: Recurrent drought, feed shortage, price increment, lack of governmental feed processing factories and suppliers, limited brewery grain access, poor distribution of the available feed resources, illegal cattle feed traders, difficulty to access molasses, transport cost to collect different feeds from different feed suppliers were the hindering constraints reported by cattle fatteners in Kombolcha town. The current result is in line with Firew, (2010) which reported that inadequate feed supply is one of the major constraints hampering market oriented livestock development in the Amhara National Regional State in particular and in Ethiopia in general. Particularly, (Shitahun, 2009) clarify feed shortages are root causes for the poor performances of the livestock sector in general and fattening in particular. Similarly, Belete et al. (2010) explain the fattening practices is constrained by high feed cost, poor quality and low availability of feed resources, inadequate veterinary services, and weak extension services as well as good management practices and proper policy support for livestock development. Therefore, producing a high quantity and quality of feed for animals is a key factor in raising healthy and productive livestock sector (Bezahegn, 2014). In Kombolcha, especially September to December relatively there is abundant feed resources. On the other hand, the feed shortage and price increased severely towards January to June. This finding support the idea which shows alternating periods of surplus and deficit result in a very low level of production for the entire year (Aklilu, 2004). Similarly, agro industrial by products are available with relatively low cost during September to December. Because of the indicated months are the major periods to harvest different crop in and around the study areas which will be inputs for factories. Consistently, in the peri urban kebeles farmers particularly, cattle fatteners use their own feed

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resources comes from the farm. According to (Tessema et al., 2003), seasonal variations in feed quality and quantity are the main limitation to animal production and cause fluctuation in productivity throughout the year, particularly in the dry seasons during which feed is limited. Generally, the government intervention is recommendable to decreases feeds transportation problem, costs difficulties, to solve poor distribution and limited access of the feed resources.

Inadequate veterinary services: Due to inaccessibility of veterinarians from Agriculture Office cattle fatteners forced to use private veterinarian. Cattle fatteners were paid 70-100 birr per single services. To encourage newly emerging cattle fattening sector movable veterinary centers should be strengthen via considering the death risk of cattle.

Illegal and non-licensed cattle fatteners & traders influence: In Kombolcha town, there were licensed cattle fatteners and traders who are registered under the government rule and expected to pay tax. On the other hand, there were non-licensed cattle fatteners without tax. Nevertheless, both of them participate in similar market. Without any permission persons open cattle fattening farms. Such approach severely hinders the fattening sector and licensed cattle fatteners. Even majority of the previously organized cattle fattening farms are opened without the inclusion of animal scientists professional. Therefore, to improve such limitations at least in each association one professional or animal scientist should be incorporated as a member or in salary. Generally, to guide the sector in modern and scientific approach and for sustainable profitability of the newly emerging urban cattle fattening practices, the sector must be guided with practically equipped and licensed professionals. Every associations, investors and small scale groups wish to be part of the sector and intended to opened cattle fattening farm should have professional license or should employ licensed professional graduates just like other profession, for example human pharmacy. The government must provide social value for the animal sciences profession through guiding the practices with strong regulation and practical implementation. In addition, should create job opportunity for those animal sciences graduates. No one can do cattle

fattening without practically equipped and licensed professional. All in all, the newly emerging urban agriculture unless otherwise guided by practically equipped and licensed professionals as usual simply we report figures. As usual, the government must appreciate those certified cattle fatteners. Hotels and restaurants should be forced to purchase fattened cattle which come from the certified cattle fattening farms or farmers. Then again, the cattle must have recorded information about the overall handling aspect and particularly, the medication history (drugs with drawl period), this is due to directly linked to human health.

Illegal brokers and absence of live-weight based cattle marketing: In the current study town, cattle market was bursting of brokers. A cattle owner has no privacy to sell cattle without the influence of brokers. There is locally adopted Amharic word called ‘masser’ which means, if one broker comes and see Mr X cattle, other brokers may not come. Since Mr X cattle already hold by the former broker, such process locally called in Amharic ‘tassrewal or tayitewal’. Occasionally, other broker came and purchases the cattle, the former broker report for the market society ‘ene yaserkuten esu afarso gezabign’ which means ‘after i negotiate the owner, the latter broker amend his idea’ and fighting may happen. With this condition, brokers ask large many from the cattle fatteners and also from the purchaser. Sometimes brokers collect better benefit than the cattle fatteners with an hour. If the brokers are not satisfied with the benefit they try to misguide the purchaser, locally called ‘mafares’. Finally, the cattle fatteners forced to return back the proposed cattle to sell. Such condition leads additional management cost and discouragement of cattle fattener. Besides, in all marketing areas there was no other option to sell the already fattened cattle like live-weight based cattle’s marketing. The entire market participant forced to exchange via agreement with the influence of brokers. Such limited options were exposed fatteners for the influence of brokers. This research outcome similar to that of Bezahegn, (2014) explained that there are many brokers either organized or individually engaging groups of middlemen that are participating in negotiating the buyers and sellers. In addition, buying and selling are completed through bargaining practice. In the process of cattle marketing middlemen and butchers are involved (Ahmed et al., 2010).

Capital problem and limited credit access: The cattle fatteners in both urban and peri urban

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areas reported that lengthy process, diverse formalities’ fear to take risk in collaboration with the association’s members were the hindering factor to get credit. Majority of cattle fattening association members were dislike lengthy process, diverse formalities’ and not ready to take the risk in collaboration to other members due to dissimilar performance and risk taking ability of the members with in each association. On the other hand, few cattle fatteners were requisite credit without interest due to religious aspect.

Credit based market ‘dube’ and market problem: Peri urban and urban cattle fatteners were complain about Kombolcha ELFORA meat processing factory. The Meat processing factory was currently gathers emaciated cattle from cattle traders. Apart from this, even if, there were large number of hotels and restaurants in and around the towns have no potential to purchase in cash. They attempt to buy cattle’s in credit approach which leads to fighting and discontinuation of relationship with in the cattle fattener and hotel owners. Generally, dominantly there were credit based markets which is guided by brokers and severely affected the sector. In contrast to the cattle fatteners criticizes, the meat factory complains there was no urban and rural cattle fattening farm which has continuous capacity to supply up to the demand of the factory. Currently due to limited supply on average the factory processing 70 cattle/ day but the factory has potential to purchase up to 200 cattle/ day with different standards. Therefore, to alleviate the market problem and create market linkage, the government body should consider the demand of the meat factory such as amount of cattle required pre day, body condition score (level of fattening), live weight standards and age groups. Based on the information collected from the factory, the government body should provide practical and intensive training for those already organized group with collaboration of meat factory and Agriculture Office expertise. The training should focuses on the standards of the meat factory. Finally, the meat factory as well as the supplier association put in agreement for the sustainable market linkage.

Poor infrastructure: Poor infrastructure was one of the limitations of the sector reported. In the study area cattle fatteners in particular, those fatteners found distance to market retreat to fatten cattle as they wished due to difficulty to trek fattened cattle long distance and fear of aggressive cattle impact on human during trekking. Therefore, market establishment should consider the centrality of the position for the vicinity user (cattle fatteners). Such

solution became remedy for those cattle fatteners who face distance market problem. On the other hand, poor cattle market infrastructures were another hindering factor. In and around the study town there are more than ten cattle markets. Other than fencing totally there were no market infrastructures. Simply markets provide space service with charging 5-7 birr per ox. The current research finding agrees with Shitahun (2009) who described that marketing system was one of the least developments of the livestock sub-sector. It was characterized by a large number of highly dispersed markets, which generally lack basic infrastructural facilities like fencing, cattle pens, weighting scale, watering, feeding, resting, and quarantine place. Similarly, Teshager et al. (2013) indicate no facilities for between different market places feeding, watering, housing and weighing. Therefore, the cattle market area should be at least full of appropriate infrastructure and provide different service for the cattle fatteners.

Absence of cattle transportation path and service while trekking: In urban and peri urban area of the current study town, all of the cattle fatteners were (100%) used trekking. The current result similar to Shitahun, (2009) which indicate fattening cattle trekked on foot while purchasing and selling. In Kombolcha town, besides, they fear the damage of cattle during trucking. In one marketing day a marketer has a capacity to acquisition averagely 3-4 cattle’s so it was not economical to assigned a truck and pay averagely 3000-4000 birr/car or 300 birr per ox. On the other hand, some of cattle fatteners were reported that trekking is desirable for feed lot cattle to avoid recall of the previous management system and to adopt the new one. Particularly, after long distance trekking and fasting cattle will not be selective and take the new ration without problem. Due to the indicated reason, instead of trucking urban fatteners (100%) practice trekking by paying 70-100 birr per cattle for laborers. Laborers in the current study area trek cattle long distance without service except watering. No rest and no feed, unless otherwise the cattle unable to move. This is, due to laborers think about their time, in addition no areas reserved to do such services. Even, watering service also depends on the availability of water source across the path. Generally, such practices is the dominate activity in the study area. With some exception rural and some of peri urban cattle fatteners was given time for rest and grazing while trekking. This is due to, rural cattle owners trek by themselves. Furthermore, absence of well-structured cattle path was reported. Sometimes aggressive cattle disturb human being and cars with

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in the town. Chiefly, there is poor trekking system. Hence, to protect those cattle fatteners and to avoid the impact of aggressive cattle on human. cattle path should be considered during road construction.

Difficulty to compare with rural cattle fatteners: Difficulty to compare with rural fatteners was the major problem reported by urban cattle fatteners. There was market competition between grass fatteners vs. by product based cattle fatteners. By product based cattle fatteners was not able to compete with grass fatteners at the market due to urban fatteners are completely receiving feed ingredient being paid. On the other hand, rural and some peri urban cattle fatteners use different feed sources from their own farm in addition to industrial by products from town as a supplement. Accordingly, after long period of fattening duration peri urban cattle fatteners and farmers allow their animal to the market at different festivals. With this regard, all of them were compute in a similar market and supply for similar customer. The current study, agreement with Takele et al. (2009) and Shewangizaw et al. (2014) which explained majority of farmers marketed their fattened cattle during the main holidays and the sector is a seasonal operation. Such practices cause over supply of cattle in the market. Such action leads to low value earning for farmers, peri urban and urban cattle fatteners. The condition becomes worst for those urban cattle fatteners who use agro-industrial by products as feed ingredient. It leads to discouragement and termination of the fattening practices. Stagnate traditional cattle marketing strategy and timing must be modified with strong extension. Similar to the current finding, Alemayehu, (2003) explained due to these unfavorable marketing systems and discouraging price on the producers’ side they are not encouraged to improve the quality. The off-take of their animals prices of beef cattle vary from places to places and depend on the availability and volume of supply (Adion et al., 2007). Generally, such competition, unless another wise ruled by some solution, those new emerging cattle fatteners in urban area will be masked and become out of the sector. As a solution, apart from the government reaction, urban cattle fatteners should prepare their own fattening calendar via analyzing demand and supply situation of the market and practice accordingly.

Lack of cooperation with in the association member’s: Lack of cooperation with in the association member’s was the other constraints reported from urban cattle fatteners who organized in to different association. Within each association there was active participants and observers. Accordingly,

there should be continuous performance monitoring of each members with in the association, provision of certified motivation for those strong members and strict exclusion of idle participants. Unless otherwise lack of cooperatively with in the association member’s may be the basic reason for the collapse of urban agriculture in particular, the fattening sector. Similarity, at association level there has to be motivation activities to initiation strong associations and do accordingly for the non-active ones. Such action maintains the integrity of the members and the association’s as a whole.

Lack of market information access: Lack of market information access was a constraint indicated by cattle fatteners in Kombolcha town. Totally cattle fatteners’ acquire information related to cattle from marketers. All cattle fatteners were reported that no information access neither governmental offices nor different medias a bout cattle fattening market. Unless otherwise, the new emerging urban agriculture particularly cattle fattening practices guided by appropriate, accurate and quick information, such information gap may be the major hindering factor of the sector. Consistently, it is difficult to predict and suggest about seasonal cattle price variation and cattle market. Adion et al. (2007) explained that, livestock raisers can maximize benefits from cattle production provided they are equipped with scientific information and know–how on the use of available resources to minimize production cost. According to Belay (2013), 72.8% of cattle fatteners obtain market information before cattle sale through neighbors, relatives, own visits and extension agents. Similarly, Daniel (2008) revealed that 92% of the producers in Borena zone, get market information before they sell their cattle.

Traditional cattle fattening practices and handling culture: As per the key informant interview, in the study town peri urban fatteners and farmers were considered fattening activity as side line job and give great focus for crop than cattle fattening. Generally, it is considered as a byproduct of farming. This is due to mainly farmer’s purchase cattle for farming objective. Based on the researcher observation and group discussions, culturally, in the previous year’s peri urban fatteners keep a pair of oxen for long years for farming purpose nevertheless, currently, due to recurrent drought and feed shortage peri urban cattle fatteners in the current study areas keep frequently the female animals than males. This is one of coping mechanism of the feed scarcity. Accordingly, when the farming season reached they purchase a pair of oxen for a specific farming period

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via considering selection criteria’s fit to farming. After they finish farming they allocate cattle’s for fattening. Mostly, cattle fattening was not scientific at peri urban and farmer’s level. On the other hand, urban cattle fatteners to shorten fattening duration allocate a bulk of feed once per day for group of cattle or single cattle. Such approach was not economical and only aggressive cattle may be the user and refusal feeds increased. Thus, urban fatteners feeding practices should be guided to be live weight based. Extension workers and experts with strong extension service should initiate the fattening sector to follow scientific cattle feeding approach.

Lack of cattle handling equipment and farming aid: Lack of cattle handling equipment was another stated constraint. In Kombolcha town due to non-existence of cattle handling equipment particularly, nose ring one cattle fatteners disabled. Therefore, to maintain the safety of the cattle fatteners at least cattle handling facilities like nose ring should be distributed at Agriculture Office level with minimum cost.

Poor recording system: Lack of organized and computerized recording system at town office and kebele level. There is no any record concerning cattle handling and management aspect (researcher observation). Particularly, peri urban cattle fatteners’ was no recording system completely. Partially urban cattle fatteners with the guidance of government office try to record information related to marketing condition only but were no recorded data about the cattle handling and management aspect. Such limitation severely affects the sector and makes it difficult to purse to the modern production approach.

Less focuses and professional considerations: As per the key informant interview and group discussion with town and kebele Agricultural experts less consideration was given for animal science profession compare to other agriculture field such as crop science and natural resource sector at town office level. Majority of the work was undertaken in group wise and with other. Due to such approach other agriculture related field takes the largest coverage. In addition, during reporting great emphasis was given for other agricultural science sector. Accordingly, animal science expertise engaged and evaluated by other agriculture activities. Generally, such practices have negative impact on field of study specialization, and create difficulty to support cattle fatteners with equipped practical and modern skill, and leads drifting of animal sciences experts to other field of study.

Inadequate practical training support and limited practical experience of the professionals: Inadequate practical training and limited practical experience of experts and developing agents were the challenges reported by cattle fatteners which affect the fattening sector. They explained that majority of trainings and technical supports were theory based. Even, the experts have no practical skill. Fatteners build their capacity and perform cattle fattening with try and error approach through sharing experience from model cattle fatteners. Hence, the town Agriculture Office should accomplish activities to scale up the practical skill of the professionals via scholarship. Training and those technical supports delivered to cattle fatteners should be given with those practically equipped experts supported with piratical and intensive demonstrations. Furthermore, experts should try to upgrade their skill by sharing experience from practically equipped experts.

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Generally, there should be functional linkage b/n different governmental offices, cattle fatteners, cattle feed suppliers, and purchases. Consequently, to alleviate and minimize the indicated constraints as well as challenges, the effective approach is to focus on and due emphasis to exploit the identified opportunities of cattle fattening practices in both urban and peri urban areas. In particular, to strengthen the newly emerging cattle fattening practices in the study area, the proper usage of opportunities should be the primary consideration. Particularly to minimize the major hindering factors in the current study town the following proposed recommendations should acquire consideration:

With strong extension service it is valuable to advice cattle fatteners to collect feed resources and enriched their feed bunk before the feed scarcity and price increment observed. For short term, the Agriculture offices should take the action by doing feed demand and supply analysis and coordinate the feed suppliers with that of the demand and do accordingly. For proper distribution and usage of poultry litter, molasses and brewery grain, peri urban and urban cattle fatteners should be organized and scheduled based on their feed demand. In long term, the government should initiate micro and small enterprises to be part of the feed processing sector. In addition, governmental cattle feed processing plant could be established. Hay preparation as well as use of poultry litter experience of the cattle fattens should be supported and strengthened with strong extension services.

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To alleviate cattle market problem, the government body could identify the minimum and maximum continuous supply capacity of urban and peri urban cattle fatteners. Collaborate the association to Kombolcha ELFORA meat processing factory with agreement. The cattle marketing system should be facilitated by governmental bodies for sustainable market service, infrastructure fulfillment, to protect the negative influence and interference of the broker’s. Live-weight based cattle marketing system should be considered as one option. Secondly, at Micro and Small enterprise level the government should attempts to make those illegal brokers responsive via consolidating in to different association and training. To avoid market discouragement due to oversupply, strong information system supported with market analysis data should be arranged in the side of the government. Cattle market establishment should consider the centrally of the position for all users. The marketing area must be restructured with full of appropriate facilities and services such as loading and unloading chute, water and watering area, shade from sunlight, marketer protective mechanism from aggressive cattle, toilet, and ground scale service with minimum cost.

To strengthen the financial capacity of the cattle fattener’s and to solve capital shortage, credit could be arranged considering individuals risk taking techniques for each association’s member with smooth and short process.

To encourage newly emerging cattle fattening sector governmental movable veterinary centers should be arranged via considering the death risk of cattle.

The government body should arrange cattle resting area during transportation with water and feed service with minimum price. In addition, to avoid aggressive cattle impact on human during transportation well-designed cattle path must be arranged.

Proper monitoring approach must be developed for the sustainability of each fattening association and the cooperatively of each member within the association. Within in each association equity distribution approach must be developed for the consistency and sustainability of each cattle fattening association. Work division and benefit always must focus on the work load and performance of each individual. Besides, in the course of structuring the associations it is better to show clearly the benefits, the destitution and commitment required from each participant.

The Agriculture Office must assign practically equipped and licensed professionals for the respected field. Therefore, urban as well as rural fattening program must be guided by those specialized animal scientists. Expertise must be allocated for his own specialty only. Consistently, educated individuals especially animal scientists should take the first floor to be model. Training should be delivered by those practically equipped experts. In addition, training should be supported with manuals (quick reference).

Modern cattle fattening practices, research outputs, findings must be gathered from different experienced areas. Hence, periodically, feed and cattle market analysis should be carried out at Agriculture Office level. With this, current and updates information should be delivered at cattle market site in different marketing days using information display technique.

For sustainable improvement, the newly emerging urban agriculture should be guided with well organized, computerized, consistent, and complete documentation scheme at all structure level.

Broadly, to boost up the newly emerging urban as well as peri urban cattle fattening sector those intensive plans intended to do by regional as well as federal government level must be implemented practically.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

The authors would like to acknowledge College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture of Addis Ababa University and Arba Minch University, Ethiopia for funding the study. We also acknowledge the urban and peri urban cattle fatteners, Agricultural Experts, Development Agents in Kombolcha town, Micro and Small food processors, Oil seed processers, Local brewery houses, Kombolcha BGI Ethiopia, Poultry farms, Milling houses, Traders, Flour factories, Micro and Small Enterprise Office, Agriculture office and Trade and Transport Coordination Office of Kombolcha town for their willingness to provide the necessary information.

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