Paper Short Abstract:

Communities in Busia practice socio-economic activities that increase human, animal and vector interactions, exposing individuals and their livestock to risk of trypanosomiasis. Questions arise concerning access to livelihoods and multi-species well-being in a changing economic contexts.

Paper Abstract:

Small scale farming in form of livestock and crop production is the main livelihood practiced in Busia County. Different types of animals and birds are kept for varied socio-cultural and economic purposes. These socio-economic activities increase human, animal and vector interactions, exposing individuals and their livestock to risk of contracting trypanosomiasis, a zoonotic disease transmitted by tsetse flies, creating an impediment to agricultural production and affecting human and livestock health. Possible disease control measures present a classical conflict arising from antagonistic interactions between environment, vector, wildlife and human activities. Destruction of tsetse habitats, elimination of wildlife reservoir hosts for the deadly parasites was opposed by environmentalists and conservationists. Localized methods considered to have less environmental effects and easier to use by farmers are propagated. Farmers have to change livestock management practices to protect cattle against trypanosomiasis by regularly spraying and using trypanocidal drugs. The disease-causing pathogens infect multiple species forcing the farmers to make the hard choices on animal species to treat or spray with their meagre resources. The excessive and uncontrollable use of antimicrobial and acaricides builds up drug resistance as some find their ways into the environment and water bodies. Tsetse and trypanosomosis eradication remains elusive as the pathogen exists in a species that serves as a ‘reservoir’ for future infections and game reservoirs continue to serve as the greatest habitat for tsetse. The limited options available to farmers reveals the serious questions at stake in terms of access to livelihoods and multi-species wellbeing in changing economic contexts.