Artificial insemination (AI) activity in progress in Jimma zone (photo credit: ILRIGemeda Duguma).

In the past 50 years, little success has been registered in dairy cattle genetic improvement through artificial insemination (AI) in Ethiopia. A weak AI delivery system, absence of targeted technological interventions (such as synchronizing hormones, sex fixers, etc.) and weak extension services are some of the major bottlenecks hindering dairy cattle genetic improvement through AI.

In Jimma zone, Oromia region, in addition to the above bottlenecks, there is an assumption that cultural and religious issues influence the expansion of AI, but the Livestock and Irrigation Value chains for Ethiopian Smallholders (LIVES) project team in Jimma had doubts about this. The project team set out to investigate whether cultural and religious issues are really hindering the expansion of AI in the zone. A team of LIVES project staff, livestock development, health and administration officials from Dedo, Kersa and Seka Chekorsa districts and zone administrators designed…