This local economy runs on donkeys
Are donkeys forgotten forces of sustainable development in Ethiopia? Brooke's Senior External Affairs Advisor, Anna Marry, shares her recent trip to the country.
The alcohol is so strong that I cannot swallow more than a drop and tears start running down my face. The market sellers burst out laughing. It is early morning in Negele Arsi, southern Ethiopia.
The local market for arek, a potent local drink made of barley, is buzzing with vendors, buyers, dogs, children and most of all, donkeys. In this part of the world, everything starts and ends with donkeys.
From the market where the product is sold in large jerrycans, we move to the home of one of the sellers, who also runs a local self-help group and a microfinance scheme. The young man proudly shows us how the alcohol is made, from grain to fermentation.
Arek is a potent local drink made of barley in Ethiopia, sold in jerrycans.
All over rural Africa, Asia and Latin America, donkeys, horses and mules are hard at work, lifting their owners out of poverty.
The barley was brought to the home distillery on a donkey cart, as was water from the water point outside the village. The barley is ground into flour, mixed with water, fermented, then distilled and bottled, before being taken to market for sale – again on a donkey cart.
Two donkeys are watching as we pass by. They are feeding on the by-product of the alcohol production, the grain residue. Nothing goes to waste here, even the donkey manure is used to fertilise crops.
There is little doubt that this local economy runs on donkeys, who enable income generation, agriculture and food security, water provision, resilience to climate challenges, even gender empowerment. Southern Ethiopia is by no means unique.
Yet, these key drivers of sustainability seem to be largely invisible - not to the communities, who are well aware of their value, but to policy makers in Addis Ababa and in other capital cities of the world.
Luckily, this is slowly changing. In 2022, the United Nations recognised the contribution of working animals in a resolution on agriculture, nutrition and food security, and two years later, in a resolution on disaster risk reduction. This is progress, but more remains to be done.
My trip to Ethiopia is carefully timed. The country is embarking on its third Voluntary National Review of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, created to provide peace and prosperity around the world.
Brooke is reaching out to the government and other stakeholders to highlight the role of working animals in meeting the goals.
Donkeys pulling a cart of jerrycans in Ethiopia.
Small investment into the health and welfare of Ethiopian donkeys could yield huge benefits for human development.
Animal Health Field Officer, Dr. Fikadu Tesfaye (left) and Anna Marry (right).
Brooke is here to offer our support and expertise, through the network of our nine project offices and 50 health posts delivered jointly with government veterinary services.
As I leave Negele to return to Halaba to visit Brooke projects providing feed, shelter, veterinary care and farriery services to working animals, a striking picture materialises in front of my eyes. On one side of the road, there is a donkey-pulled cart filled with water jerrycans, at least 20 if not more.
On the other, a little girl is skipping by on foot, one single small jerrycan in hand. Laughing children in school uniforms pass by as she looks on.
It reminds me of a common issue affecting families for whom water is scarce. Children often cannot go to school because they are supporting their family with tasks like fetching water.
If they had a donkey, would this girl be able to go to school?