Tsetse fly management
Practical Action
Depending on the number of traps and the area covered, each monitor is responsible for 10 to
25 traps and each supervisor is responsible for 10 to 15 trap-monitors. Trap monitors visit
each trap once a month to check and record information on tsetse catches, empty the traps of
tsetse catches, carry out repairs of any damaged parts of the trap, replenish odour bait
(attractants). They also clear surrounding bushes, check with trap-managers for other general
information related to traps and compile data on each trap visited. This information is passed
on to supervisors who report to the local community management committee for required
action.
Trap maintenance is a very demanding task and trap monitors and supervisors may require
some form of remuneration. This will vary from one community to another depending on
available project finances and local agreement among beneficiaries of community-based tsetse
initiatives. Some community initiatives provide provided trap monitors and supervisors with
bicycles with mutually agreed terms on usage and maintenance. Other community-based
tsetse control initiatives pay trap monitors and supervisors for their work.
Monitoring and evaluation
Community-based tsetse control initiatives should establish regular work schedules, a
monitoring and community feedback system, which provide tangible results for decision-
making. Evidence of tangible results such as tsetse catches, reduced cases of sick livestock,
reduced usage of drugs and transparent accounting and record keeping all help to generate
and sustain full community participation and contribution towards tsetse fly control activities.
Trap catches are a good indicator of the success of the project. Project managers should
emphasize the importance of record keeping in community-based tsetse control initiatives.
Annual livestock census is essential in tracking trends in livestock numbers. An increase in
livestock numbers indicates reduced mortality rates and farmers’ confidence in maintaining
high numbers of livestock without fearing the risks of loss to trypanosomosis. Information
about mortality rates is collected during annual livestock count and from government
veterinary officers or community based animal health workers where possible. Records of
community-based animal health workers or government/private veterinarians provide
information about disease incidence. In addition, a sizeable herd (over 200 heads of cattle) of
livestock should be identified and monitored over a period of time in order to determine
infection rates through blood sampling and testing for trypanosomosis. Cases of
trypanosomosis should be treated. Increasing community contribution of finances towards the
tsetse control activities indicates local ownership, and commitment to sustaining tsetse control
programmes.
References and further reading
Manual on Community-based Tsetse Control Community-based Livestock Initiatives
Programme - CLIP, 2004, ISBN 9966 9775 5 4
TALC – Teaching-aids at Low Cost Flytrap
Community Based Animal Healthcare Practical Action Technical Brief
Links
Natural Resource Institute - Programmes and information to assist in the planning and
implementation of tsetse control operations.
"Nzi" is Swahili for fly. The Nzi trap is a simple, safe and economical cloth trap for the capture
of biting flies (tsetse flies, horse flies, deer flies, stable flies). It was developed at ICIPE in
Kenya as an environment-friendly alternative to the use of insecticides, following many years
of research on appropriate and sustainable technology for African farmers. It is a passive
killing device that works through the attraction of flies to large blue and black objects. Flies
simply die from exposure after entering into an innovative configuration of cloth and netting.
Contacts
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