Panzootics and the poor: devising a global livestock disease prioritisation framework for poverty alleviation

Heffernan, C. (2009) Panzootics and the poor: devising a global livestock disease prioritisation framework for poverty alleviation. Revue Scientifique et Technique de l'OIE, 28 (3). pp. 897-907. ISSN 0253-1933

Abstract/Summary

Panzootics such as highly pathogenic avian influenza and Rift Valley fever have originated from the South, largely among poor communities. On a global level, approximately two-thirds of those individuals living on less than US$2 per day keep livestock. Consequently, there is a need to better target animal health interventions for poverty reduction using an evidence-based approach. Therefore, the paper offers a three-step prioritisation framework using calculations derived from standard poverty measures: the poverty gap and the head count ratio. Data from 265 poor livestock-keeping households in Kenya informed the study. The results demonstrate that, across a spectrum of producers, the dependence upon particular species varies. Furthermore, the same livestock disease has differing impacts on the depth and severity of poverty. Consequently, animal health interventions need to