Economic losses associated with Peste des petits ruminants in Turkana County Kenya

Peste des petits ruminants is a major economic disease affecting the pastoral herders in Kenya, with outbreaks in Turkana County having devastating effects on the Turkana livelihoods. Turkana County is a region associated with natural and manmade disasters, poor infrastructure and insecurity. There...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Pastoralism : research, policy and practice policy and practice, 2015-12, Vol.5 (1), p.1, Article 9
Main Authors: Kihu, Simon M, Gitao, George C, Bebora, Lily C, John, Njenga M, Wairire, Gidraph G, Maingi, Ndichu, Wahome, Raphael G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agriculture
Anthropology
Applied Ecology
disasters
Earth and Environmental Science
economic analysis
economic impact
economic systems
Ecosystems
Environment
Environmental Management
epidemiology
financial economics
infrastructure
interviews
livelihood
livestock diseases
mathematical models
milk
mortality
people
peste des petits ruminants
Research Article
Sustainable Development
weight loss
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Summary:Peste des petits ruminants is a major economic disease affecting the pastoral herders in Kenya, with outbreaks in Turkana County having devastating effects on the Turkana livelihoods. Turkana County is a region associated with natural and manmade disasters, poor infrastructure and insecurity. There is limited essential data on livestock diseases and economic analysis. This study has attempted to estimate the direct economic loses occasioned by outbreaks of Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) based on perceived loss of benefits experienced by the Turkana people. Parameters for the analytical model were derived from secondary data, informal interviews and focused group discussions using participatory epidemiology methods. Results shows that losses due to PPR were estimated at US$ 19.1 million and mortality of small stock due to PPR constituted the greatest economic loss valued at US$ 16.8 million being 88% of the total losses. Other losses due to lost milk and weight loss constitute approximately 12% of the total losses. PPR has serious economic impacts on pastoral livelihoods, and previous estimation of PPR losses in Kenya was grossly undervalued. This study strengthens the basis for developing a system for the economic assessment of livestock diseases in areas with scanty data based on parameters derived from participatory epidemiology approaches for use in the mathematical model.
ISSN:2041-7136
2041-7128
2041-7136
DOI:10.1186/s13570-015-0029-6