The Role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in Dairy Production In Alamata Wereda in South Tigray.
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Date
2009-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
This ethnographic study was conducted to explore the role of Indigenous knowledge
systems in dairy production in Gw'gale and Selenwuha kebeles of Alamata wereda, To
Ihis em/. 40 dair)! producers were purposejit/()I selected ,And they were studied Ihrough
direct observation, key informants,focus group discussion and in-depth interviews for
"llII ost three consecutive months. In both villages, it was identified that traditional mixed
livestock-crop production was practiced. This study reveals that dailY producers employ
such local knowledge as color of the skin, breast, tail and stature, breed type, health, feed
intake, productivity of milk, age, price, and agI'o ecology to select desirable breeds.
Natural mating is predominantly practiced along with insignificant artificial
illSeminatioll. Based on such diagnostic skills as knowledge on symptoms of diseases,
couses of diseases, seasons of diseases and species affected, daily producers employ
elh llo veteril/(II), praelices tofight against diseases that attack their animals. Dail)'
producers provide their dail)! ca ttle with conventional and non-conventional feeds. The
major sources of water include: rivers, pipe water, dams and wells Rangeland and
Natural Resources are administered by a body known as Abohagay or Shimagle Adi.
lvIilking in Ihe study area is predominantly handled by men. Milk, dung, hide, and horn
(fre locall)! processed in to economically important products. Butter, Ergo, and Whole
lIIilk as the lIIajor primC/l)1 delil)1 products for income generatiol/ are sold in. the informal
lIIarket direclly 10 COl/sumers. Price and demand have been dictated by such factors as
s('ason, access to the markel, fasting, festivals etc. Costs and Returns are nol recorded
(filii anal)!zed. The traditional dairy production process is being constrained by slich
challenges as anilllal feed shortages, land fragmentation, discouraging marketing
Sl 'slems, inadequate veterinCllY services, lack of training, poor extension services, etc. As resuli. Ihe svstCII1 is characlerized hv low produclivity. For the productivity of the
production system, therefore, Indigenous Knowledge Systems shouldfurther be studied
alld integrated with lIIodern dailr production system in general
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Keywords
role of Indigenous knowledge systems