Participatory market research in business planning for private pastoral veterinary practice in Turkana district, Kenya

Abstract

Little information is available on methodology to privatise the delivery of animal health services in pastoral areas. This thesis describes the use of participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools in market research necessary for business planning of a private pastoral veterinary practice in Kokuro area of Lapur Division, Turkana District, Kenya The aim of the study was to generate information that can be used in development of a business plan for a private veterinary practice in Kokuro area of Lapur Division, north-eastern Turkana. The research was conducted in four livestock camps (Adakar) in Lapur Division, namely, Eipa, Ikong, Naarakibuk and Ngisaricho. The livestock camps were conveniently selected based on ease of accessibility. Informants were then drawn from these livestock camps to participate in PRA exercises that included workshops, participatory mapping, matrix scoring, semi-structured interviews and proportional piling. Informants were selected from the rural folks who were knowledgeable in livestock diseases and existing animal health delivery systems in the area. The target area for private veterinary business was defined bearing in mind the livestock movement patterns. The existing animal health delivery systems were the Department of Veterinary Services of the Government of Kenya (GOK), a Non- Governmental Organisation (ITDG-EA), hawkers and herders. The animal health services offered were sale of drugs, vaccination and training of livestock owners on basic veterinary skills. The department of veterinary services was the most preferred service provider followed by the NGOs, hawkers and herders in order of decreasing preference. The community perceived 'fair' prices for veterinary services as a range from 62.8% to 69.2% of the total value of the animal. Anthrax, blackquater, trypanosomosis, and impacted colon (in donkeys), trypanosomosis, mange, haemorrhagic septicaemia, tick infestation and diarrhea (in camels), tick infestation, anthrax, CCPP, pox and ear infection (in sheep and goats), anthrax, CBPP, rabies, rinderpest, and ear infection (in cattle), were listed as the priority livestock diseases in the area. Blackquarter, anthrax and trypanosomosis were reported to affect donkeys mostly during the rainy season Impacted colon was observed more frequently in the dry season Contagious caprine pleuro-pneumonia (CCPP) and anthrax were reported to affect sheep and goats mostly during the rainy season and during the interphase between the rainy and dry seasons. Pox and tick infestation in sheep and goats were more frequently observed in the dry season than others. Ear infections were reported to occur throughout the year. In camels, trypanosomosis was reported to occur mostly during the rainy and the dry seasons. Tick infestation and mange were reported to occur throughout the year. Diarrhoea and haemorrhagic septicaemia were reported to affect camels more in the rainy season All priority cattle diseases were reported to occur more commonly during the rainy and the dry seasons, with the exception of rinderpest that affected cattle throughout the year. Disease prevalence ranged from 4.2% to 14.1% for ear in:fuctionin cattle and CCPP in sheep and goats respectively. Annual gross income for a private veterinary practice was calculated from disease prevalence and livestock population estimates. The total annual gross income projected from expected clinical services, drug sales and vaccinations was Ksh.107, 443.89 for the four Adakars.