Mapping the Peste des Petits Ruminants vaccine value chain in Karamoja, Uganda : an intersectional analysis to understand the barriers to livestock vaccination

Agriculture is central to Uganda’s economy with 70% of employment coming from this sector and a22.8% share of the GDP for 2018 (World Bank, 2018). Livestock are one of the main sources of livelihoods for many Ugandans across the country with 60% of smallholder farmers raising livestock for sale and home consumption (Anderson et al., 2016). Livestock alone contributed 4% of the GDP in 2018 (World Bank, 2018). It is important to understand all factors surrounding livestock in order to inform intervention strategies that aim to increase productivity. Gender and intersectionality are factors often overlooked that are key in developing successful agricultural interventions. Even though there has been progress towards gender equality in Uganda overall, the Karamoja subregion still lags behind in this regard (African Development Bank Group, 2016). When it comes to livestock interventions in the Karamoja subregion, interventions are often gender blind as culturally men are viewed as the decision makers in the household regarding livestock. The aim of this study is to better understand the livestock vaccine value chain (LVVC) in Karamoja with a focus on how gender and intersectionality interact along the value chain. Who owns which livestock are important questions to ask and answer before undertaking a vaccination program. Karamoja being such a remote and culturally diverse setting, an intervention strategy to increase vaccination uptake should include an analysis of different intersectional factors as end-users and other actors in the value chain might have different needs and barriers to vaccination.

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)