Description

Abstract: East African pastoralists–whose livelihoods depend upon their livestock–are seriously threatened by climate change impacts on water, pasture, and disease dynamics. Disease can have devastating effects on livestock survival and marketability, threatening animal health and livelihoods. In Tanzania’s biologically diverse and economically important Ruaha landscape, pastoralists relying on livestock for food, economic security, and cultural preservation have already faced water scarcity and disease losses in their herds. To address the adaptability of livestock systems to climate change-driven disease, we performed a capacity assessment of livestock health services available to rural pastoralists. Resource limitations, including long distances to access extension officers and medicines, and lack of transport and diagnostic supplies impair the delivery of livestock health services in this area. Spatial and tribal differences in reported diseases and approaches to improve livestock herd health, underscore the necessity for flexible, stakeholder-driven livestock health services.