Abstract
Almost 19% of the GDP of Ethiopia results from livestock production. Ruminants, in particular, form the majority of the national herd and are a critical source of income for smallholder farmers. Infectious diseases have been identified as a major cause of reduced livestock productivity in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); therefore, a sound and comprehensive understanding of the relevant evidence would be beneficial in order to enable decision making on disease control policies. However, livestock disease data from sub-Saharan Africa is variable and disparate, which poses a challenge for evidence synthesis. This paper describes a protocol for a systematic mapping review of the recent available evidence on ruminant disease prevalence and associated mortality in Ethiopia. Literature sources will be identified using database search strategies. The titles, abstracts and, subsequently, full texts will be screened for inclusion based on predefined eligibility criteria. Specific data will be extracted and a preliminary qualitative assessment of the evidence will be performed using predefined indicators. The planned systematic map will be the first to provide a large-scale overview of the available ruminant disease evidence in Ethiopia; the final output will be an interactive dashboard tool to inform critical stakeholders in policy and research.
Highlights
RationaleEthiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa and the fifth largest cattle population in the world (Central Statistical Agency, 2017a, 2017b)
Ruminants account for 80% of the national herd and contribute significantly to poverty reduction, with small ruminants playing a key role in improving the income status of female smallholder farmers (Shapiro et al, 2017)
Between the years 2005 and 2015, the average mortality for cattle amounted to 7%, whilst for small ruminants it was 20% (Central Statistical Agency, 2017a, 2017b)
Summary
Ethiopia has the largest livestock population in Africa and the fifth largest cattle population in the world (Central Statistical Agency, 2017a, 2017b). Systematic evidence synthesis methodologies are well developed in the fields of medicine and social sciences, as can been seen from an increasing number of published reviews. Improvements in animal health data visibility and quality have been identified as key actions to increase livestock productivity in LMICs. the application of systematic map methodology could be a valuable policy tool for LMICs, as disparate evidence poses a challenge for evidence-based decision-making. Considering the above, the aim of the present protocol is to document the methodology that will be followed for the reviewing and mapping of the recently available evidence on ruminant infectious disease frequency and disease-associated mortality in Ethiopia. The systematic map will be the first large-scale overview of ruminant infectious disease frequency and mortality in Ethiopia and will provide a much-needed insight into the main diseases that affect livestock productivity in this country. The protocol details the features of an interactive dashboard tool, which will be the final output and will provide a userfriendly web interface to make the evidence accessible for interested stakeholders
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