IMPROVING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE MEAT MARKET IN SOMALIA

In Somalia, a meat and meat product quality control system was established in line with internationally recognized food safety and quality assurance practices. It focused on export oriented commercial meat processing in Northern Somalia. The aim is to establish state-of-the-art procedures for the meat processing and export chain, develop a legal regulatory and institutional framework for meat quality and consumer safety in the domestic and the export sector, support the Somali public sector in addressing market access and consumer safety, and assist the positioning of Somali meat products in the international market. It supports shifting Somali livestock production from live animal trade toward chilled meat exports, which adds more production value in-country.

By 2009, 40,000 households and 260,000 individuals has been reached, and there had been a fundamental shift away from a system based on goodwill to quality assurance. Introduction of training on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points - a system in which food safety is addressed through the whole chain from raw material to consumption - in principle enabled slaughterhouses to sell Somali meat as a product with country of origin labelling, at prices up to 48% higher than before. Increased value and growing meat exports will in turn increase demands for livestock in the local markets. It is expected that in the ensuing competition, the prices for live animals for slaughter will increase, benefiting all those in the marketing and production chains including pastoralists and agro-pastoralists.