Tanzania has set a strategic target to eradicate Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) by 2040, a highly contagious viral disease that mainly affects goats and sheep. The disease causes severe illness and deaths, threatening the livelihoods of communities that depend on small ruminants. PPR is particularly significant for rural households as sheep and goats are sources of food, income, and valuable assets that can be sold quickly to meet urgent family needs.
Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries, Ms Ng'wasi Kamani, stated that Tanzania had previously faced livestock diseases that caused deaths, economic losses, and difficulties in accessing regional and international markets. The country can draw lessons from diseases it had successfully eradicated in the past, such as rinderpest disease. The international eradication timeline for PPR was initially set at 2030 but was extended by another 10 years, giving countries additional time to strengthen their preparations and interventions.
Ms Kamani emphasized that PPR affects small ruminants that form an important part of the economy of many Tanzanian households. Women own many goats and sheep, which have become assets that people can quickly sell when an emergency arises. The loss of such animals through disease can directly undermine household resilience, explaining why the government has a direct interest in supporting efforts to control and eventually eradicate PPR.
The government has allocated more than 216bn/- for a national livestock vaccination and identification campaign, with more than 16 million goats and sheep vaccinated during the first year. This is a five-year campaign, and the government has already set aside more than 30bn/- for this financial year. The funding will support the second phase of the campaign, which aims to achieve vaccination coverage of more than 70 per cent of the country's livestock population.
Senior Veterinary Officer, Dr Daniel Mdetele, stressed the importance of eliminating PPR, which is closely linked to the economic value of sheep and goats, particularly for women and young people. The disease requires Tanzania to strengthen its own control measures while working with neighbouring countries to prevent infections from crossing borders. Dr Mdetele added that cooperation between countries is essential to prevent the spread of the disease.
The Regional PPR Buffer Ecosystems Workshop, which brought together animal health experts and senior veterinary officials from Angola, Burundi, the DRC, Malawi, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia, examined epidemiological evidence and assessed shared PPR risks. The workshop discussed how livestock movement and interaction among communities along national borders can contribute to the spread of the disease and provided a platform for countries to strengthen practical cooperation around surveillance, vaccination, diagnosis, data sharing, and coordinated response.
The technical outcomes of the Regional PPR Buffer Ecosystems Workshop are expected to inform the next stage of trilateral cooperation between Tanzania, Angola, and the DRC, including a proposed Trilateral PPR Buffer Zone Memorandum of Understanding provisionally scheduled for signing on October 2, 2026. The African Union-Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) recognized President Samia Suluhu Hassan's contribution to the fight against PPR during the regional meeting.
Key points
- Tanzania aims to eradicate PPR by 2040 through sustained vaccination and regional cooperation.
- The disease affects small ruminants that form an important part of the economy of many Tanzanian households.
- The government has allocated more than 216bn/- for a national livestock vaccination and identification campaign.
