Description

Abstract: Trans-border trade in livestock in sub-Saharan Africa plays critical roles in meeting regional food security needs and generating incomes for thousands of herders and traders. This brief addresses the institutional aspects of cross-border livestock trade in the Horn of Africa, especially in the Kenya/Ethiopia/Somalia borderlands. It will be argued that while informal exports and imports of animals are illegal in Kenya and Ethiopia, local institutions and agreements often allow the trade to function ‘on the ground’ in the absence of official recognition. For policy makers what is particularly challenging is that cross-border trade thrives in the absence of government interventions and policies, while punitive controls against it usually redirect the trade along unofficial channels. In the conclusion, different policy scenarios are briefly discussed that can allow cross-border trade to continue to play a major role in meeting regional consumption demands and providing livelihoods for large numbers of people.