Determining Right Priorities for Conserving Farm Animal Genetic Resources — The Case of Borana Cattle in East Africa
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Date
2005Author
Zander, Kerstin
Mburu, John
Type
PresentationLanguage
enMetadata
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Borana cattle have their origin in Southern Ethiopia and Kenya where they are guarded
by the Borana-Oromyfa clans in the harsh environment of the Borana plateau. Borana
cattle are also the main source of the livestock-keepers’ income and the local people’s cultural
identity is formed on the husbandry of these animals. Nowadays the existence of this
breed and hence its cultural heritage is threatened due to intensifying crossbreeding among
different breeds and eventually dwindling records of pure Borana animals. Conservation of
the pure Borana genetic resources is important for future use and enhancement of biodiversity,
but financial aid for conservation initiatives is scarce. This study addresses two crucial
topics in conservation theory: the question of “which” Borana animals should be conserved
and hence deserve priority in funding, and the question of “who” should conserve them.
370 livestock-keepers on the Borana plateau were selected for conducting semi-structured
questionnaires and choice experiments. The models were then analysed using NLOGIT 3.0.
The first question is driven by the fact that currently three different subtypes of the Borana
breed are known and kept on the Borana plateau. Appropriate allocation of funds among
them must take place according to their economic and genetic values. Economic values are
determined by applying a discrete choice analysis estimating the livestock-keepers’ willingness
to pay and relative preferences for different attributes of the Borana cattle. Genetic
values depend on two factors, namely the level of extinction probability and the level of
marginal genetic diversity. Both factors are incorporated into the model and together with
economic values form the total value of Borana cattle and its subtypes.
The question of “who” should participate in conservation initiatives requires the consideration
of individual livestock-keepers’ characteristics into the model revealing heterogeneity
in livestock-keepers’ preferences and willingness to pay for different cattle attributes. A random
parameter logit model is used seeking to establish different groups of livestock-keepers
that can be targeted for conserving Borana.
Results suggest that Borana cattle are particularly important because of their adaptability
and performance attributes and that their values vary significantly among livestock keepers
with different production systems and in different areas.
URI
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tropentag.de%2F2005%2Fabstracts%2Flinks%2FZander_MknOWKoj.pdf&ei=0aDvUeLEFO_07AaZ44DIBw&usg=AFQjCNE49ccYXc5G9XpeUaiRIAkGeOryBQ&bvm=bv.49641647,d.ZGUhttp://hdl.handle.net/11295/50628