Community participation in the management of Tsetse: a comparative assessment of impact and sustainability. Final technical report.

Abstract

Despite decades of research and control programmes tsetse continues to be a problem throughout much of Sub-Saharan Africa, adversely affecting human health and livestock production, and thus constraining the livelihood strategies available to millions of people. Although some gains have been made, it has become clear that conventional large-scale strategies are not sustainable in the long term due to their high cost. They are not even viable in the short term due to the financial constraints under which most African governments now operate. Bait technologies are proving increasingly popular due to their cost effectiveness, technical efficiency and low environmental impact. Since bait technologies are logistically suitable for local populations, donors and national governments are looking upon programmes with community participation and especially cost-sharing programmes as the ideal solution to the problem of sustaining tsetse control activities. Although a commitment has been made to community participation, little has been done to examine the circumstances within which this approach is likely to be effective or the level and type of participation which may be appropriate.

This research aimed to contribute to the development of a strategy to support this commitment to community involvement by developing guidelines for future programmes. It is based on an analysis of documented information on community-based control programmes and a situational assessment of seven programmes within which there has been some local involvement in Kenya, Uganda and Zambia. In addition, short visits were made to Zimbabwe (Zambezi Valley) and Botswana (Okavango) to discuss changes within their own control strategies.

Citation

Barrett, K.; Okali, C. Community participation in the management of Tsetse: a comparative assessment of impact and sustainability. Final technical report. (1998) 90 pp.

Community participation in the management of Tsetse: a comparative assessment of impact and sustainability. Final technical report.

Published 1 January 1998