Wildlife, zoonoses and community: How local knowledge is shaping Zambia’s fight against disease

Local community members in Nyawa Chiefdom participate in a disease prioritization workshop, identifying key zoonotic threats like anthrax and heartwater that affect both livestock and wildlife. Photo by Nathalie Van Vliet / CIFOR-ICRAF

As interactions between humans, livestock and wildlife become more frequent, the risk of zoonotic diseases grows. In Zambia’s Nyawa Chiefdom, local communities are stepping up to the challenge, working with researchers to understand and manage these threats. 

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically shifted how we understand the intersection between communities, wildlife, and public health. Early in the pandemic, pangolins—critically endangered animals often trafficked illegally—were suspected as potential carriers of the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. Although this theory was eventually contested, it triggered a global conversation around wildlife trade and zoonotic diseases, highlighting the urgent need for better management of human-wildlife interactions. 

As interactions between wildlife, communities and livestock become more frequent, the risk of zoonotic disease outbreaks increases, making integrated approaches like the ‘One Health’ framework more critical. This approach advocates for the harmonious coexistence of human, animal, and environmental health, recognizing their interconnectedness.

In Southern Zambia’s Nyawa Chiefdom, this global narrative is playing out on the ground. Researchers, including Brock Bersaglio from the University of Birmingham, Charis Enns from the University of Manchester, Francis Massé from Northumbria University and Nathalie van Vliet from the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR–ICRAF), are conducting a participatory study aimed at better understanding community knowledge and practices related to zoonotic and animal diseases. This research is part of a larger initiative to establish the 10,000-hectare Mize Community Conservancy,  with support from the international Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme and funding from the European Union.

The research in Nyawa Chiefdom has four primary objectives: to identify the diseases affecting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife within the chiefdom and the surrounding Mize Community Conservancy; to explore local practices for preventing the transmission of zoonotic and animal diseases; to assess the prevalence of these diseases in the community; and to develop a targeted, integrated plan to reduce the risks of disease transmission, thereby mitigating negative impacts on both people and animals.

Community-led research approach

A cornerstone of the study is its community-led, participatory methodology. This approach includes disease mapping and prioritization workshops and key informant interviews, which are designed to tap into local knowledge. The research will span four years, allowing time for in-depth data collection and ongoing collaboration with community members and local experts.

Lead researcher Charis Enns explains why a community-driven approach is so essential: “Communities understand the diseases better because they live with the realities of disease outbreaks. They are often the first to respond when diseases spread among their livestock or even from wildlife.”

The shrinking distance between people and wildlife in Nyawa has forced many to rethink how to share the landscape sustainably while minimizing disease risk. The research explores how local communities can be empowered to protect both their health and the surrounding ecosystem. This is a fundamental shift in how wildlife is viewed—not as a source of danger but as part of a balanced system that requires careful management.

The study uses participatory methodologies with proportional piling, to understand disease importance and incidence, seasonal disease calendars, disease maps and historical timelines. Photo by Charis Enns / University of Manchester

Early insights from the study
During the initial data collection phase in April 2024, the community identified several priority diseases, including corridor disease, blackleg, heartwater, hemorrhagic septicemia, Newcastle disease, and anthrax. Through disease prioritization workshops, participants strongly understood these diseases and their risks.

However, managing these diseases is not without its challenges. Key hurdles include limited access to veterinary services, the financial burden of treating livestock, and scepticism about the effectiveness of certain preventative measures. These insights are critical for understanding the broader dynamics of zoonotic and animal disease in Nyawa and the Mize Community Conservancy. Successful management of zoonoses and other animal diseases in this region will depend on addressing both the diseases and the socio-economic factors that influence their spread and how communities respond to them.

The role of community conservancies in zoonotic disease management
Establishing the Mize Community Conservancy with support from the SWM Programme has opened up new possibilities for addressing the health of people and wildlife. By creating a community-led protected area where human-wildlife interactions are carefully managed, the conservancy model. Community conservancies help promote sustainable land use, reduce human-wildlife conflict, and, crucially, improve livelihoods by valuing wildlife through sustainable-use opportunities (e.g. tourism and the legal wild meat sector). This, in turn, decreases the need for communities to rely on activities like informal hunting for wild meat, which can increase the risk of zoonotic disease transmission in all directions and impact human health, livestock production and wildlife health. In the specific context of the Mize Community Conservancy, addressing disease transmission risks was identified as a prerequisite before wildlife restocking can be initiated.

Through a community-centric lens, community conservancies become essential not only for wildlife management but also for public health. “Conservancies help by providing a structured way for communities to engage with both wildlife and the land,” Enns says. “They create a space for knowledge-sharing and collaboration, which is critical in managing diseases affecting both animals and people.”

“Understanding zoonotic diseases in Nyawa Chiefdom is not just about identifying the illnesses but also about grasping the social, economic and environmental factors that either facilitate or hinder their spread,” van Vliet says. “The SWM Programme’s Community Conservancy model highlights the crucial role that local people play in managing zoonoses, especially in remote areas. Rural communities organized around a community conservancy can become key partners for public health services in that respect.” 

Building resilient communities and ecosystems
The study highlights the importance of community-led approaches to managing zoonotic and animal diseases within the broader context of sustainable wildlife management. By leveraging local knowledge and addressing the social, economic and environmental factors driving disease transmission, initiatives like this foster healthier ecosystems and build resilience against future outbreaks.

Based on initial findings, several recommendations have emerged to strengthen the community’s role in disease management. Enhancing community engagement is essential, as well as encouraging active participation in disease surveillance and management to ensure local voices and insights shape intervention strategies. Improving access to veterinary infrastructure, such as veterinary services, water, and sanitation facilities, is also critical, addressing both the causes and impacts of zoonotic and other animal diseases.

Promoting sustainable livelihood practices that reduce zoonotic risks, including safe participation in the legal wild meat sector, can also play a key role. Strengthening partnerships between communities, government agencies, NGOs, and wildlife management organisations is crucial for a coordinated, comprehensive response to zoonotic and animal disease management challenges.

These recommendations support healthier relationships between people and the natural world, reinforcing both public health and conservation efforts in Nyawa Chiefdom and beyond.

About the Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme 

The Sustainable Wildlife Management (SWM) Programme is a major international initiative that aims to improve wildlife conservation and sustainable use in forest, savannah, and wetland ecosystems. It is funded by the European Union, with co-funding from the French Facility for Global Environment (FFEM) and the French Development Agency (AFD). Projects are piloted and tested with governments and communities in 15 participating countries.

The programme is implemented by a dynamic consortium of partners, including CIFOR-ICRAF, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Wildlife Conservation Society, and the French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development (CIRAD).

In Zambia, the SWM Programme activities are carried out by CIFOR-ICRAF in Nyawa chiefdom in collaboration with the Nyawa Royal Establishment. The team is supported by the Government through the Department of Natural Parks and Wildlife.