Articles >
IMPACT OF PAN-AFRICAN TSETSE AND TRYPANOSOMIASISERADICATION CAMPAIGN INTERVENTION ON HERD SIZE AMONG
CATTLE FARMERS IN JIGAWAAND NASARAWA STATES, NIGERIA
Author(s): Achagwa, S. M., Sennuga, S. O., Ajah, J., Haruna, L. Z., Ajunwa, L. O., Chukwu, I. L.,
Hassan, M, Agbadoronye, P.C and Lawal, D
Volume/Issue: Volume 6 , Issue 1(2026)
ABSTRACT:
The study assesses the impact of Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign (PATTEC) intervention on herd size in Jigawa and Nasarawa States, Nigeria. The specific objectives are to: describe the socio-economic characteristics of cattle rearers in the study area, compute the impact of PATTEC on herd size in the study area, and identify the constraints militating against cattle rearing activities in the study area. Multistage sampling techniques were used to sample 640 respondents for the study. The socio-economic characteristics of the respondents indicated that the majority (82.2%) of cattle rearers in Jigawa State are male, while only 17.8% were female. Cattle rearing is a male-dominated activity in Nasarawa State, with 93.1% of respondents being male and only 6.9% female. The average age of cattle rearers in both Jigawa and Nasarawa States was 47 years. The majority of farmers in Jigawa (91.3%) and Nasarawa (96.2%) states were married, suggesting that cattle rearing is a major livelihood activity for family heads who provide for their households. The results revealed that 66.5% of cattle rearers in Jigawa State had no formal education; in Nasarawa State, more than half of the respondents (52.0%) had no formal education. The average farming experience of the farmers in both states was 28 years. The mean household size of farmers in Jigawa State was 8, while Nasarawa State was 12. The average annual income of cattle rearers in Jigawa and Nasarawa States was ₦3,028,393.1 and ₦2,282,368.75, respectively. The propensity score matching analysisrevealed that the impact of the intervention on the entire population (participants and non-participants; ATE) is 1.29, while the average impact for those who actually received the treatment (participants) is 2.15. Both the ATE and ATETare statistically significant at the 1% level (p < 0.01). The study revealed that the major constraints faced by cattle rearers in the study area were conversion of cattle routes to crop fields, Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis diseases, Access to capital/credit/finance, Lack of infrastructure, such as housing, electricity, Cost and lack of vaccine, Transportation cost of cattle for sales to far places-farmers clashes, cattle rustling, water scarcity in the dry season, lack of adequate veterinary services, and poor cattle insurance etc. Based on the socioeconomic characteristics of farmers in both states, which revealed lower levels of education, the study recommended that the government establish adult education programs in the States or strengthen existing ones, as education is key to the adoption of technologies. Similarly, based on the result of propensity score matching the study revealed that ATE and ATET are both statistically significant at the 1% level (p < 0.01) therefore, the study recommended that Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, should take decisive action by strengthening veterinary support, increasing the number of trained personnel, and ensuring the availability of affordable and accessible animal healthcare services to sustain the gains of PATTEC. Furthermore, the result of the analysis revealed that the major constraints militating against cattle rearing activities should be addressed by the government and PATTEC project sponsors; among other constraints are farmers and herders clashing, access to credit facilities, infrastructure, vaccines, transportation means, insurance cover, water during dry season, and security of farmers and herders in the study area to boost farmers’ herd size.
KEYWORDS:
Tsetse, Trypanosomiasis, Cattle Rearing.
