Socioeconomic Characteristics of the Community and Importance of Camel and other Livestock Species in Tahitay-Adiyabo District, Tigray Region in the Northern Periphery of Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was undertaken in the northern periphery of the country, Tigray region, north-west Tigray zone, Tahitay Adiyabo district from February to March, 2017. For this study, four Kebeles were selected purposively based on the presence of two major community groups (Tigrayans and Kunama) and presence of camel species and other livestock species. Seventy-two (72) households per district, of which 38 households from two kebeles for Kunama community and 34 households from two kebeles for Tigrayan community groups were selected randomly. A software package of SAS (2008) was employed to generate descriptive statistics for qualitative and quantitative data. As the study revealed, three-fifth and two-fifth of the respondents in the study area were illiterate and attended primary education respectively. The two community groups were significantly (P < 0.05) different on educational status and Tigriyans respondents were more educated than the other counterpart. More than 2/3 children (7 - 17 years of age) of the respondents in the study area were attended school. Exceptionally, more than 75% of the children for Tigriyan community group in the district were attended school whereas 3/5th of Kunama community children were attended school education. Average family size per household in the study area was 6.22 ± 0.45 and significant (P < 0.05) difference was observed in the two community groups which was higher in Tigriyan community (7.23). Livestock husbandry practices (breeding objectives, herding, milking and marketing) were decided entirely by husband or both and the decision by wife alone was reported to be non-existent in the study area. From all respondents of Kunama community, more than a quarter of them produce household income majorly from their livestock and secondarily from crop. Livelihood diversification (off-farm activities) was almost non-existent in the study area. The study shows that majority of the respondents own ruminant animals and camel. Surprisingly, in the current study, all of the respondents own camel species but camel milk marketing was the main problem of Kunama community. From the Kunama community group, quarter of the respondents own camel and goat only. This study suggested that attention should be given for child education in Kunama community and absence of camel milk marketing may affect the utilization of the species and as a consequence, it would extinct. Hence, in order to conserve this species, camel milk market problem should be solved. Besides, in the study area, camel is the important species for all the communities and attention should be given to improve camel productivity.