Demand for meat and other products of animal
origin is increasing regionally and internationally.
Yet export earnings from livestock commodities in
the Horn and East Africa are low. Existing and
projected market demands create opportunities
for pastoralists, who own most of the region’s
livestock, to supply products of animal origin to
meet this increased demand. However, there are
constraints which severely hinder the participation
of pastoralists in regional and international
livestock trade. In particular, unsupportive
policies do not promote the pastoral production
system and stringent international standards for
trade in livestock and livestock products have
proven especially difficult for countries in the
region to meet.
The study on which this Synthesis Paper is based
considers the scope for increased livestock
production from a perspective of compliance
with zoosanitary standards that apply to
international trade. It presents the need to revisit
international standards in livestock trade to
identify and promote applicable, accessible and
acceptable standards for the Horn and East
Africa region.