NAIROBI, 13 May 2025 — In a sunlit hall on the campus of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), voices rose—passionate and resolute. They came from Mali, Cameroon, Togo, Sudan, India, and Mongolia. Their common cause? A livestock disease often overlooked, yet silently devastating the livelihoods of pastoral communities: Peste des Petits Ruminants, or PPR.
But here in Nairobi, the conversation is not about veterinary statistics. It’s about economic survival, social dignity, and equal opportunity. Because PPR, while it kills goats and sheep, hits hardest those already at the margins—women, youth, and landless families.
A Silent Disease, a Violent Economic Shock
Behind every flock wiped out by PPR is a child forced to leave school, a woman stripped of income, a market abandoned. “This is a disease that destroys the savings of the poor,” said one delegate from Burkina Faso. In Africa’s rural zones, small ruminants aren’t luxury assets—they’re food security, marriage dowries, emergency savings, and school fees.
A study cited at the meeting pointed to annual losses in the millions for smallholder farmers. But these losses are not evenly distributed: women and youth, often on the frontlines of herd management, are also the least supported by traditional veterinary systems.
Nairobi Sends a Clear Message: It’s Time to Rethink the Approach
Over two days, researchers, policymakers, and community representatives gathered to reshape the strategy against PPR. Not just with syringes and vaccines—but with vision, strategy, and collective commitment.
Key recommendations included:
- Using existing data to fill information gaps and avoid duplicated studies, in order to build a strong regional advocacy case.
- Adapting vaccination campaigns to pastoral realities—factoring in livestock mobility, seasonality, and access challenges—through mobile teams, drones, SMS alerts, and local knowledge.
- Involving women and youth at all levels of campaign design and delivery to ensure equity and sustainability.
Women: The Overlooked Pillars of Animal Health
And yet, they are everywhere—at the markets, in the corrals, at the water points. They feed, treat, sell, manage. But when it comes to decisions, they are often excluded. In Nairobi, their voices were clear: “We’re always referred to as beneficiaries. What if we became actors?” asked a veterinarian from Ghana.
The FAO, ILRI, IFAD, and the World Bank have recently launched a Framework for Gender-Responsible Livestock Development. Nairobi’s recommendations called for its practical implementation on the ground—through training, dismantling social barriers, and integrating women’s knowledge into vaccination strategies.
Youth: A Rural Engine to Be Valued
Another pillar of change: the youth. Too often relegated to minor roles or driven to urban migration, they hold the future of African livestock. Training youth as para-vets, equipping them with digital tools, and integrating them into disease surveillance systems means fighting PPR and creating jobs, hope, and pride.
A Call for Broader Alliances
The Nairobi meeting also called for stronger coalitions—among institutions (FAO, ILRI, SEBI, GBAD), between countries, and across public-private sectors. Participants urged the creation of sharp, evidence-based policy briefs, to speak plainly to donors and elevate community voices beyond veterinary circles.
The message is clear: eradicating PPR by 2030 is not a dream—it’s a moral duty. But to succeed, the strategy must be multisectoral, inclusive, and shaped by those who live daily with the consequences.
A Turning Point Not to Miss
PPR is not just a disease. It is a mirror of Africa’s social and economic fractures. But it is also a window of opportunity. One to build a veterinary model that serves communities, empowers women and youth, and relies on solidarity, innovation, and inclusion.
The clock is ticking toward 2030. And this time, shepherds, young herders, and grassroots veterinarians are not just involved—they’re leading the way.
