Young researchers advance gender mainstreaming in PPR eradication

During the World Food Forum (WFF) Transformative Research Challenge (TRC) awards ceremony at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy, on 14 October, young researchers were recognized for their innovative contributions to gender mainstreaming in the global effort to eradicate peste des petits ruminants (PPR).

The ceremony marked an important moment in FAO’s continued commitment to integrating gender equality and youth innovation into global animal health initiatives. Organized under the WFF Innovation Labs, the TRC provides a platform for young scientists and researchers to present pioneering, science-based solutions that can accelerate progress toward sustainable agrifood systems. Each year, participants are invited to develop actionable research proposals addressing critical global challenges, from food security to animal health.

Within this framework, the Gender Mainstreaming in the Eradication of PPR Prize — a special category co-hosted by the FAO PPR Global Eradication Programme (PPR-GEP) — recognizes outstanding youth-led research that combines scientific excellence with social inclusion. The prize aims to promote new ideas and methodologies that not only contribute to eradicating PPR but also address the systemic gender inequalities that affect livestock-dependent communities.

PPR is a highly contagious viral disease affecting sheep and goats, causing devastating losses estimated at over USD 2 billion annually and threatening the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers across Africa, Asia and the Near East. In many rural contexts, land ownership, control over assets, and access to credit are mediated by male household heads. This may limit women’s ability to buy or manage high-value livestock such as cattle. By contrast, small livestock require lower start-up investment, less land, and fewer resources, making them more accessible to women with limited financial means or mobility. Small ruminants such as goats and sheep offer a particularly viable entry point for women’s economic empowerment because they are easy to start raising (low entry barriers) but still offer strong livelihood opportunities. Compared to larger livestock, they require less land, feed, and capital, and can often be kept close to the home. This allows women to combine animal care with household and caregiving responsibilities. Ownership and management of small ruminants typically fall within women’s decision-making domain, enabling them to exercise greater control over production, income, and marketing compared with higher-value species that are more often controlled by men. Small ruminants also reproduce quickly and can be sold easily to meet household cash needs. This gives women flexible, income-generating assets that help them cope with shocks, invest in their children’s education and nutrition, and participate more actively in local markets. Although there is little sex-disaggregated data on the impacts of livestock diseases, existing evidence suggests that outbreaks such as PPR often affect women more severely. Women’s limited access to veterinary services, training, deworming and vaccination campaigns reduces their ability to prevent or respond to disease. Since small ruminants are often a key livelihood resource for women, losses caused by diseases like PPR or other small ruminants diseases can threaten both income and household food security, further limiting women’s economic resilience and influence within livestock systems.  Addressing these inequalities is essential to ensure that PPR eradication efforts are both effective and equitable.

This year, the challenge attracted 55 proposals from young researchers worldwide. Following an extensive evaluation process, five finalists were selected for their innovative ideas and commitment to gender equality in animal health systems. Their research demonstrates how empowering women and youth can accelerate progress toward a PPR-free world by 2030.

2025 winner and finalists 

• Mariam Nakiryowa (Uganda) – Winner project: Gender dynamics in small ruminant value chains and gender-responsive analysis of PPR socio-economic impacts 

Conducted in collaboration with the University of Edinburgh, Mariam's proposed research will explore how gender roles and social norms influence disease management practices and access to veterinary services in Uganda’s small ruminant sector. Using a mixed-methods approach combining household surveys, participatory value-chain mapping and socio-economic modelling, the project aims to quantify the gendered costs of PPR outbreaks and identify barriers limiting women’s participation in disease control programmes. The expected outcomes include recommendations for more inclusive vaccination campaigns, targeted training and women’s cooperatives to improve disease outcomes and livelihoods. The study will also provide policy guidance on integrating gender analysis into national PPR eradication strategies and broader livestock development plans.

• Yao Lin (China) – Project: Gendered Behaviour and PPR Transmission: Network Modelling in Qinghai’s Highland Pastoral Systems 

Working in the high-altitude ecosystems of Qinghai Province, China, Yao’s study aims to examine how daily gendered behaviours, such as herding routes, watering schedules, and livestock–wildlife interactions, shape the dynamics of PPR transmission. By combining participatory mapping with network modelling, the study will analyse how women’s and men’s distinct roles in livestock management influence contact patterns that drive disease spread. The findings are expected to guide gender-sensitive surveillance systems that reflect the social and ecological realities of pastoral communities in western China. 

• Aashish Basaulla (Nepal) – Project: Mainstreaming Gender in PPR Eradication in Western Nepal 

Focusing on Nepal’s remote mountain districts, Aashish’s research will assess how empowering women farmers can contribute to more effective PPR control. The study will apply participatory fieldwork and household surveys to analyze the relationship between women’s access to training, vaccination services and small ruminant productivity. By integrating gender-disaggregated data into disease control planning, the project aims to provide evidence to strengthen women’s leadership and participation in local animal health committees, an essential step for building inclusive PPR eradication strategies in mountainous regions.

• Said Sudi (Tanzania) – Project: Empowering Women Pastoralists: Gender-Responsive PPR Surveillance Networks in Tanzania’s Agrifood Systems

In Tanzania’s pastoralist communities, women are responsible for up to 70 percent of small ruminant management but are rarely included in formal animal health systems. Said's project will address this gap by developing women-led PPR surveillance networks across different regions. The initiative will train women in disease recognition and reporting, using a mobile-based early warning app designed for low-literacy users. By combining participatory action research with digital innovation, the study seeks to demonstrate how inclusive surveillance can reduce PPR incidence and enhance women’s decision-making power in livestock health governance. 

• Nanahauwa Abdulrahman (Nigeria) – Project: Feasibility of a Mobile PPR Early Warning System for Rural Women Small-Ruminant Farmers in Kano State 

Nanahauwa's work focuses on leveraging technology to close the gender gap in disease reporting and response. The project will test the feasibility of a mobile-based early warning system co-designed with women farmers in rural Kano State. By integrating local knowledge with digital tools, the study aims to improve real-time reporting of PPR outbreaks and strengthen communication between farmers and veterinary services. Beyond disease control, it also seeks to promote digital inclusion by equipping rural women with tools and training to access timely information and resources for livestock management. 

The PPR and Gender Prize forms part of FAO’s commitment to inclusive and transformative research under the global effort to eradicate PPR by 2030. By supporting young scientists who bridge animal health, technology and gender equality, FAO and the World Food Forum are helping shape a new generation of researchers working toward resilient, equitable agrifood systems.