Participatory Methods in the Profiling of Livestock Diseases in the Jos-Plateau, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was conducted with a view to collecting epidemiological data based on farmers' understanding of livestock diseases in the rural communities of Plateau State. In typical developing nations, animal diseases seem to pose the greatest challenge to human and animal health and welfare. Unfortunately, most of such nations rely so much on inefficient "top to bottom" disease surveillance and eradication policies, as such, negative impacts of diseases are common. Participatory disease surveillance recognizes farmer opinion for timely disease control. Using various tools of participatory epidemiology, the occurrence of important livestock diseases and indigenous traditional knowledge were investigated. In 2009/2010, livestock diseases profiles and ethno-veterinary practices were evaluated in 90 randomly selected villages in Jos-Plateau. Endemic livestock diseases continued to cause significant economic losses to farmers in the Plateau. Institutionalization of participatory disease surveillance would better inform strategic livestock policy reforms and improve national diseases surveillance and reporting system in Nigeria.

Participatory Evaluation of the Relative Livestock Populations and the Assessment of the Status and Impacts of Newcastle Disease in Rural Communities of Two Northeastern States, Nigeria

“…It further elucidates the fact that ND outbreaks will directly affect most needed animal protein intake as well as settlement of emergency fees such as school fees in many rural communities in northeastern Nigeria. The results of matrix scoring (Table 2) showed that farmers usually recognize ND by nervous signs, whitish diarrhoea, high morbidity and mortality which agree with some established literatures [8] [10] [11]. In many literatures however, greenish diarrhoea especially in acute ND infections supersedes the white diarrhoea reported by farmers [10] [11].…”

“…This means that farmers may lack the ability to recognize acute ND that may not be associated with the normal nervous signs and high mortality and most especially may lack the ability to recognize HPAI therefore limiting their ability to report suspected cases. Matrix scoring further made it possible to evaluate certain disease syndromes like "makere (somnolence), fakat (massive death), and farin kasha (white diarrhea)" to mean ND as understood by the Hausas and this seems to agree with the clinical presentations of ND as existed in many scientific findings on ND [8] [10] [11]. The major limitations in the conduct of participatory research especially in the livestock subsector and particularly in Nigeria are willingness of target farmers to participate in the absence of incentives and also participants tend to look at the study from a political perspective.…”

“…The local communities often recognize the principal diseases that affect their livestock and have a rich terminology for distinguishing between them [3]. Though this study targeted ND, fowl pox, lousiness and salmonellosis were found to be important poultry diseases in the rural communities studied (Figure 3) which opens a new horizon to holistic control of poultry diseases in rural communities who seem to hold over 65% of total poultry populations in many developing nations [8] [11]. Some of the matrix scoring findings in this study showed ND to be associated with high morbidity, mortality and occurred year round with higher incidences in the cold windy hamattan.…”

“…Local communities are knowledgeable of the principal diseases that affect their livestock, have rich terminology for distinguishing between them, and possess traditional methods of handling them [6]- [8]. For diseases with significant economic impacts, communities have traditional medicaments and often attempt to actively track the evolution of outbreaks and take actions to mitigate risk of further spread.…”

Participatory epidemiology of endemic diseases in West African cattle – Ethnoveterinary and bioveterinary knowledge in Fulani disease control

“…The livestock sector is important to the national economy, contributing to both financial and nutritional needs of the country through meat, milk and hides (6–8% of GDP) [ 1 ]. Veterinary services in Nigeria fail to meet the animal health needs of Fulani who have poor access to veterinary products and services [ [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] , [7] , [8] , [9] ]. Disease surveillance, extension practice and veterinary service delivery are affected by a range of structural issues in Nigeria ranging, from failings in logistics to a lack of engagement with end users.…”