There have been a lot of cultural practices which are risky for transmission of zoonotic
diseases which are practised by pastoral societies despite efforts to combat such practices.
The general objective of this study was to determine cultural drivers of zoonotic diseases
and their impact on poverty, whereas the specific objectives were to: (a) assess cultural
practices which are risky for transmission of zoonotic diseases, (b) identify the commonest
animal and human infectious diseases and (c) determine the impact of zoonotic diseases
on poverty. Purposive and random sampling methods were used to obtain a representative
sample of 120 households. A questionnaire was used to obtain information in February
2013 from individuals representing the selected households in Orgosorok, Enduleni and
Sale Wards of Ngorongoro District. SPSS was employed for data entry and analysis. The
findings showed that risky cultural practices which are practised by the Masai community
are drinking un-boiled milk, sleeping in the same houses with calves, eating raw or
insufficiently cooked meat, drinking raw animal blood, and not cleaning the kraal for
animals. The respondents were of the view that livestock infectious diseases such as
anthrax, hydatid cyst, brucellosis and tuberculosis were among the leading diseases in the
Masai community; they were mentioned by 21%, 18% 16% and 2% respectively of the
respondents. Based on multiple linear regression analysis in which the dependent variable
was poverty in terms household income and monetary value of assets owned, it was found
that zoonotic diseases had negative impact on poverty (β = -0.074), albeit the impact was
not significant (p = 0.425). On the basis of these findings, it is concluded that the
occurrence of livestock infectious diseases is influenced by cultural practices and that the
diseases in turn affect poverty negatively. In view of the conclusion, it is recommended
that more education should be given on how to do away with cultural practices which are
risky for transmission of zoonotic diseases, and knowledge should be imparted on how to
prevent the occurrence of the diseases in order to alleviate poverty among pastoral societies.