Predicting uptake of a malignant catarrhal fever vaccine by pastoralists in northern Tanzania: Opportunities for improving livelihoods and ecosystem health
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Date
2021-08-16
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Elsevier
Abstract
Malignant Catarhal Fever (MCF), caused by a virus transmitted from asymptomatic wildebeest, is a lethal disease
in cattle that threatens livestock-based livelihoods and food security in many areas of Africa. Many herd owners
reduce transmission risks by moving cattle away from infection hot-spots, but this imposes considerable eco-
nomic burdens on their households. The advent of a partially-protective vaccine for cattle opens up new options
for disease prevention. In a study of pastoral households in northern Tanzania, we use stated preference choice
modelling to investigate how pastoralists would likely respond to the availability of such a vaccine. We show a
high probability of likely vaccine uptake by herd owners, declining at higher vaccine costs. Acceptance increases
with more efficaceous vaccines, in situations where vaccinated cattle are ear-tagged, and where vaccine is
delivered through private vets. Through analysis of Normalized Density Vegetation Index (NDVI) data, we show
that the reported MCF incidence over 5 years is highest in areas where the mean and interannual varibility in
vegetative greeness is relatively low and where herds sizes are smaller. Trends towards lower rainfall and greater
landscape-level constraints on cattle movement suggest that MCF avoidance through traditional movement away
from wildebeest will become more challenging and that demand for an MCF vaccine will likely increase.
Sustainable Development Goals
This research article was published in the Ecological Economics Volume 190, December 2021
Keywords
One Health, Human/Wildlife Conflicts, Livestock Diseases, Choice Modelling, Vaccines