By Yeneneh Sisay – The East African pastoralists expo, which began on Friday in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, is said will be open to visitors for the next few days.
It is said that the pastoralists living in the border areas of East African countries have the same lifestyle and psychological unity. The organizer of the expo, Intergovernmental Organization for Development (IGAD) says that if the countries can work together, conflicts can be avoided.
East African Intergovernmental Organization for Development / IGAD / Pastoral and Livestock Center ICPALD Director Darje Waqjra (Dr.) in his explanation to the media on the occasion of the opening of the expo, said: “the role of East African pastoralists in addition to the development and growth of the countries is high, as their role in preventing conflicts is high, so governments should work together.”
He said that it is necessary to provide support to the pastoral community. Pastoralism is one of the ways of life and should be given the necessary support and attention, especially during the drought and when the rains disappear, countries should work on the management and storage of animal fodder for bad days so that the pastoralists do not easily lose their livestock.
ICPALD has been working for the past ten years to increase the capacity of East African pastoralists and make them the beneficiaries of their animal resources. “We have heard that the East African Pastoralist Expo, which opened yesterday, January 26, at the Millennium Hall in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, will continue until February 1, 2024 with various events and seven research papers will be presented which are said to be resources for policy makers,” according to IGAD.