Post #244

#Numbers Ethiopia has one of the largest populations in Africa, second only to Nigeria. It is currently estimated at around 129 million people and is projected by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations to reach approximately 190 million by 2050 (FAO, 2019). Ethiopia’s livestock numbers are equally striking. The country has the largest cattle population in Africa, with an estimated 71 million live cattle and around 4 million slaughtered in 2023. It also maintains a large poultry population, with approximately 55 million chickens alive at any given time and about 80 million slaughtered annually. In addition, Ethiopia has sizable populations of small ruminants, including an estimated 54 million goats and 40 million sheep, although slaughter numbers for these species are much lower than for poultry, with around 16 million goats and 12 million sheep slaughtered in 2023.