Battling trypanosomiasis to boost food security in Lambwe

In the heart of Southwestern Kenya lies Lambwe Valley, where the Ruma National Park is also located. Here, wild animals such as leopards, buffaloes, hyenas, honey badgers, and giraffes coexist with livestock that provide a lifeline for many households in the region.

Raising livestock like cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats is an integral part of the Lambwe community.

However, livestock are susceptible to various diseases that can impact animal health and farm productivity. The negative impact of these diseases lies in prevention although treatment of sick animals comes as a relief to the farmers.

For livestock farmers, it’s important to understand the common diseases that may affect their animals and how to prevent, manage, and treat them. 

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 Trypanosomiasis is one of the prevalent diseases that affect cattle. And Dr Ivy Okello, a Regional Scholarship and Innovation Fund (Rsif) graduate, has dedicated her life to being a source of relief for both farmers and their animals.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, trypanosomiasis is influenced by inappropriate control practices, communal grazing, and the proximity of farms to the national park. 

Dr Ivy Okello decided to tackle African animal trypanosomiasis (AAT) and its devastating effects on livestock production. 

“In extreme cases, untreated animals may die, deepening the losses experienced by farmers. In a region like Lambwe Valley, where 15.63 per cent of cattle were found to be infected, the effects of AAT are stark. As cattle provide both milk and traction power for farming, any decline in their health directly impacts food production,” Dr Okello explains.

Dr Okello’s research dives into the effects of AAT and identifies possible solutions to improve livestock productivity and, by extension, food security in the Lambwe community. Her key message is that the health of livestock is tied to food security, and we must not overlook that connection.

The implications of AAT extend beyond the individual farm, and the effects are beyond reduced milk and meat production. This is because most farmers in rural communities rely on livestock to plough their lands. 

 “When animals are sick or die, it not only impacts food production but also increases the labour burden on families.”

AAT does not only affect Lambwe Valley but also countries with livestock-based agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa by causing low milk production, increased risk of infection by other diseases, low live weight gain, reduced fertility, and mortality if not treated.

In the Lambwe community, Dr Okello found that many farmers resort to self-treatment for their livestock, which often results in improper use of drugs and ineffective disease control due to poverty and lack of access to veterinary services.

This negatively impacts the effectiveness of disease control as most control measures will not work as predicted. It would also lead to the persistence of AAT in such regions despite livestock receiving treatment.

Another barrier that farmers face, according to Dr Okello’s research findings, is the high cost of treatment, and the proximity of livestock to tsetse-fly-infested wildlife areas. “Communal grazing and the closeness to national parks expose cattle to more tsetse fly bites, increasing the risk of AAT,” she notes.

She recommends a mix of policy changes and community education. Key among her recommendations is to reduce communal grazing near wildlife areas and strengthen community-based disease control strategies. She also proposes integrated disease management practices that combine drug treatment with effective vector control.

Her research, titled “Epidemiology, Drug Sensitivity Pattern and Control Practices of African Animal Trypanosomes in Western Kenya, Lambwe Region,” was recently successfully defended at the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania.