It is my great privilege and honor to welcome you to the official platform of the Livestock Development Institute. This website represents far more than a digital presence; it is a public commitment to transparency, accessibility, and partnership in the service of Ethiopia’s most strategically important agricultural sector.
The creation of LDI through Council of Ministers Regulation No. 506/2022 was a deliberate and visionary act of national policy. It recognized that Ethiopia’s livestock sector, blessed with the largest livestock population in Africa, required an institution with the mandate, the capacity, and the ambition to lead its transformation from a subsistence-dominated activity into a modern, competitive, and sustainable economic engine. Building on the hard-won experience of our predecessor institutions, we have embraced this mandate with full commitment and determination.
Our work touches every dimension of the livestock value chain. From the bull studs at our Holeta Livestock Development Center, where elite genetics are produced and cryopreserved for distribution across the nation, to the training halls where AI technicians are certified and dairy processors are upskilled; from the research laboratories where Ethiopian indigenous breeds are characterized and new processing technologies are trialed, to the investment facilitation offices where entrepreneurs are guided through their first feasibility study; LDI is present and active at every step.
I want to be direct about what drives us. Ethiopia’s farmers, pastoralists, and agro-entrepreneurs deserve access to the best genetics, the best technologies, the best advisory support, and the best market opportunities that modern livestock science can offer. Our mandate is to make that access a reality, not as a distant aspiration, but as a daily operational commitment.
We are also deeply aware that the world is changing. Climate variability is shifting the suitability of livestock breeds and management systems. Consumer preferences are evolving toward safer, more nutritious, and more traceable food products. Global markets are opening and tightening simultaneously, demanding new standards and new competencies. LDI is rising to meet these challenges through sustained investment in research, technology, human capital, and institutional partnerships.
Through this platform, I invite you to explore the full breadth of what LDI offers; our services, research programs, investment opportunities, training calendar, and data resources. Engage with our experts, learn from our publications, register for our training programs, and partner with us on projects that will shape the future of Ethiopian livestock. Your success is our purpose. Together, we can unlock the full potential of livestock for national prosperity.
Asrat Tera (PhD) | Director General, Livestock Development Institute