Community-based tsetse fly control minimizes the effect of trypanosomosis on livestock in Metekel zone, Ethiopia

Tsetse-related trypanosomosis threatens integrated crop-livestock production system in Ethiopia. Metekel zone is among the tsetse-infested areas in Ethiopia. Community-based tsetse fly and trypanosomosis control using targets was conducted from June 2011 to May 2012 in the zone. In coordination with the control project, a questionnaire survey was administered to assess the economic importance of the tsetse fly and trypanosomosis control conducted in the Zone. On average, there were 3 livestock deaths/household before control and this was decreased to 0.07 after control. This death was contributed from all possible livestock diseases. A household loss 4380 (95% CI = 4223.98-4541.79) EB (1 US$ = 17.9 EB) only due to the deaths of his/her livestock was reduced to 90.78 (95% CI = 89.15-92.42) EB after control. Morbidity of oxen in the study areas was significantly decreased by 70.7%. As a result, the monetary loss to rent for healthy draught oxen was decreased by 96.4%. When a household with one cattle harvest 10.9 quintals (1090 kg), his neighbor's household with ten cattle maximize his/her yield to about 50.5 quintals (5050 kg) of crops indicating that trypanosomosis has great economic impact in crop-livestock production system. As the community-based tsetse fly control approach is simple, cost effective, and appropriate for riverine tsetse species, we conclude that farmers can minimize the negative impact of tsetse flies and trypanosomosis in the tsetse-infested areas of African countries.