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Blending traditional and new animal health solutions to support agro-pastoral livelihoods under climate change in Africa Jonathan Henry Ian Tinsley (24170355) PUREID: 659308374 Haemonchus contortus goat production small ruminants targeted selective treatment gastrointestinal nematodes goat value chain five point check FAMACHA climate-parasite modelling Farming is a cornerstone of many resource-poor livelihoods across Africa, often involving the production of goats due to their ability to remain productive under highly variable conditions. Beyond serving as sources of food, goats are flexible financial assets used as loan collateral, sold to meet expenses such as school or medical fees, or relied upon as insurance against shocks such as crop failure. It is therefore critical that their productivity is optimised.<br><br>However, productivity is constrained by gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN), particularly <i>Haemonchus contortus</i>, a blood-feeding GIN which negatively affects animal health and livelihoods. <i>Haemonchus</i> transmission is climate-dependent. In Africa, temperatures are generally favourable for year-round transmission, meaning precipitation is often the principal determinant. Despite the known influence of climatic phenomena such as El Niño, La Niña and climate change on climatic dynamics, research on their implications for <i>Haemonchus</i> transmission potential in Africa is absent. Chapters Three and Four address this, demonstrating how these phenomena affect transmission potential and underscoring the need for regular monitoring and control.<br><br>Effective monitoring and control requires knowledge of diagnostics such as the Five Point Check (FPC), which reduces treatment frequency, cost and development of anthelmintic resistance. Yet strategies for disseminating practices such as the FPC have not been evaluated. Chapter Two evaluates which mixed methods approaches have been used to study livestock diseases in Africa, providing a foundation for the thesis’s methodological design. This informed Chapters Five and Six, which evaluate approaches for the dissemination of the FPC, highlighting the effectiveness of farmer field schools. Recognising that parasite control is only one element of improving goat-related livelihoods, Chapter Seven outlines broader challenges and opportunities for goat value chain improvement across areas such as market access, value addition and cooperative formation. Chapter Eight discusses the sum of this thesis’s results, providing actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to strengthen smallholder livelihoods.<br><br><i>Thesis is embargoed until 31 December 2027.</i><br> 2026-10-01T16:19:28Z Text Thesis 10.17034/32641947.v1 https://figshare.com/articles/thesis/Blending_traditional_and_new_animal_health_solutions_to_support_agro-pastoral_livelihoods_under_climate_change_in_Africa/32641947 All Rights Reserved Open Access after 2027-12-31