Intervening Against Bovine Trypanosomosis in Eastern Africa: Mapping the Costs and Benefits

Incorporates the costs of intervening against tsetse and trypanosomosis, making it possible to map benefit-cost ratios

Abstract

For livestock keepers in Africa, the presence of endemic chronic diseases is a constant drain on their animals’ productivity and on their financial resources. One of these diseases, tsetse-transmitted trypanosomosis, is widely considered as a major constraint on livestock production and rural development in sub-Saharan Africa. 6 member states of the Intergovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) are affected by trypanosomosis: Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda. These countries’ tsetse-infested zones are hugely diverse, marked by different climates, a range of production systems and variable livestock population densities. The range of options for dealing with the disease is also broad, from using trypanocidal drugs to various ways of controlling or eliminating the tsetse vector. With such wide variation and limited resources, evidence-based tools for prioritizing where and how to intervene are crucial.

The idea of producing monetary maps showing the potential benefits of dealing with tsetse and trypanosomosis was initially tested in West Africa. In this paper, the concept is further developed and applied to eastern Africa. A novel dimension is introduced by incorporating the costs of intervening against tsetse and trypanosomosis, thereby making it possible to map benefit-cost ratios. Different components of this study have already been published in peer reviewed journals. In this Programme Against African Trypanosomosis (PAAT) paper, the methodology and results are described, and additional background information, maps anddata are provided.

This works arises from the Zoonoses and Emerging Livestock Systems (ZELS) programme.

Citation

Shaw A, Wint W, Cecchi G, Torr S, Waiswa C, Alemu T, Eregae M, Abdi A, Muchina S, Mugaso S, Marriolo R, Robinson T. 2017. Intervening against bovine trypanosomosis in eastern Africa: mapping the costs and benefits. ISBN 978-92-5-109781-6

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Updates to this page

Published 1 December 2017