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Beker's story

Beker lives with his wife Radiya and their children in Melka Amem village, in Ethiopia’s remote Dello Mena district. Like most people in this area, they are pastoralists, and rely heavily on selling livestock and animal products to earn a living.

Beker owns a herd of cows, goats and a donkey - but it was difficult to get a good price for them. The nearest market was in Dello Mena town, 25km away. Unable to afford the cost of hiring a truck, each farmer had to walk their livestock all the way to the market. This left their once healthy livestock very weak, which badly impacted their value. With each goat he sold from his small herd fetching just 400 Ethiopian Birr (around £13) Beker’s family were desperately poor.

Farm Africa has established a weekly livestock market much closer to where they live so that the farmers won't need to walk the long distance to Dello Mena town and their animals can stay healthy. With many livestock all for sale in one place, traders from other towns come to the village to buy their strong, healthy animals for more than 50% more than they fetched after the long walk to the other market.

Beker told us “There was no livestock market before Farm Africa set up the local market here, made it legal and helped the local communities. The other market is 24 km away. Thank you for Farm Africa for this local livestock market”

Beker has been able to sell some of his livestock at the local market for a good price. As the rangeland where his animals graze is also now properly managed, his animals have become healthier, and are producing more milk and as well as breeding.  Beker can now confidently rely on his livestock to give him a good income to provide everything that his family need to thrive, not just survive.

Give a gift today and you could help establish a new livestock market so farmers can sell their animals for a good price and provide for their families for the long term.

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