Global Donkey Mass Deaths Amid China Health Food Craze... "Africa Suffering"

The global population of donkeys is rapidly declining due to the popularity of the traditional Chinese medicinal ingredient 'Ejiao.' African countries, where most donkeys are concentrated, are struggling to devise countermeasures.

Ejiao is a health supplement made by boiling and solidifying donkey hides and internal organs. It is known to improve blood circulation, slow aging, and enhance libido and reproductive ability, making it highly popular. In the past, it was also used as a main ingredient in decoctions prepared for emperors.

Ejiao was once a luxury food in China, but demand surged sharply after economic growth. The Chinese Ejiao market size grew from $3.2 billion (about 4.25 trillion KRW) in 2013 to $7.8 billion (about 10.42 trillion KRW) in 2020, more than doubling.

Donkeys pulling carts, a means of transportation in Africa [Image source=Pixabay]

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According to research conducted by Associate Professor Lauren Johnston, a China-Africa relations scholar at the University of Sydney, commissioned by the South African Institute of International Affairs, China requires over 5 million donkeys annually for Ejiao production, which accounts for about 10% of the global donkey population.

As demand for Ejiao exploded, the number of donkeys in China decreased from 11 million in 1990 to 2 million in 2021. Consequently, China began importing donkeys from South America and Africa, including Brazil, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria, causing a sharp decline in the global donkey population.

In particular, in Africa, home to about two-thirds of the world's donkeys, millions of donkeys are slaughtered annually for Ejiao production. The donkey protection organization Donkey Sanctuary stated, "Although exact numbers are difficult to tally, in Kenya, half of the national donkey population was slaughtered between 2016 and 2019."

As some countries such as Tanzania, C?te d'Ivoire, and Kenya banned donkey exports to protect the population, crimes like theft and smuggling began to flourish. In local small rural communities, donkeys serve as transportation and a major asset. The decrease in donkey populations, followed by theft and illegal trade, is causing large-scale unemployment and destroying the livelihoods of local people.

[Image source=Pixabay]

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Associate Professor Johnston said, "If donkeys disappear, women will have to become donkeys." She pointed out the ironic situation where Ejiao is sold to wealthy Chinese women, while African women suffer because of Ejiao.

In response, the African Union (AU), consisting of 55 countries, adopted a report last month calling for a 15-year ban on donkey slaughter and donkey hide exports. The recommendations of this report will be presented at the African Summit on the 17th and 18th of this month, where a continent-wide donkey export ban policy will be discussed.

However, Donkey Sanctuary stated, "Enacting donkey protection laws cannot solve the problems of donkey theft and smuggling," adding, "The only solution is for Ejiao companies to stop importing donkey hides and invest in sustainable alternatives such as cellular agriculture (cultivating cells to produce food like meat)."

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