From Waste to Employment Opportunities and Wealth Creation: A Case Study of Utilization of Livestock By-Products in Hargeisa, Somaliland

Abstract

This article was conducted to establish the involvement of vulnerable women and youths in innovative livestock by- products value addition to create alternative employment opportunities and diversify wealth creation livelihood activities through DFID UKaid Sustainable Employment and Economic Development (SEED) funded programme and implemented by FAO Somalia in the security fragile state of Somaliland that has few options of formal employment opportunities. The study focused on the processes and achievements of the SEED programme towards deriving maximum benefits from livestock by-products instead of concentrating on meat production and consumption only. During the programme intervention, an initial forty (40) beneficiaries of various trade skills and academic levels were selected through SOMDA for capacity development with competency based training (CBT) skills. One of the primary advantages of CBT was that it focused on the success of each participant. The training focused on each trainee attaining a small number of specific and job-related competencies in bone-craft trinkets and laundry soap production. By the end of SEED phase I, the intervention created a total of 120 direct jobs which were involved in soap and bone-crafts production giving the impetus of making full use of the meat value chain and creating a viable source of employment and income for women and youths in Somaliland contributing to increased Somali economy from the main li feline of Somalia population that is anchored on livestock production and trade.