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Item Proceedings of the 9th KARI Biennial Scientific Conference [electronic resource] : theme : agricultural research for improved productivity and livelihoods : 8-12 November 2004, KARI Headquarters, Kaptagat Road, Loresho, Nairobi Kenya(Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, 2004) Kenya Agricultural Research Institute; 9th Scientific Conference Technical and Publications Sub-CommitteeThis paper presents the results of a study conducted in a pastoral community in Kenya using participatory appraisal approaches. The objective of the study was to assess the socio-economic impact of camel trypanosomosis (surra) according to the perceptions of the pastoralists. Four livestock grazing units (adakars) were conveniently selected and in each adakar, three groups of key comprising 5 - 8 persons for the participatory exercises. Five camel diseases were listed in their order of importance according to severity and frequency of occurrence and included: trypanosomosis, mange, non-specific diarrhoea, tick infestations and haemorrhagic septicaemia. The losses listed due to the five diseases included: losses in milk; meat and blood; fats and hides: dowry payments; depreciation in sale of animals; losses due to infertility and abortions; and losses due to the cost of treatment. There was good agreement (P<0.05) between the informant groups on the losses incurred as a result of the diseases for all the selected loss indicators. Surra and mange were scored highly on all the indicators while non-specific diarrhoea; tick infestations and haemorrhagic septicaemia received moderate scores. Based on the study findings it is concluded that the camel plays a central role in the lives of Turkana pastoralists and surra and other camel diseases have a devastating social and economic impact. There is a need for veterinary and policy decision makers to focus more attention to the control of surra in this arid and semi-arid area.
