Book Description

African swine fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease of domestic and wild pigs. The disease has recently become one of the major global concerns for the livestock sector. While eradication remains a distant goal in several endemic countries, updated and science based control strategies are important for mitigating risks and reducing the socio-economic impact of the disease, for protecting the livelihoods of the most vulnerable along the value chain and for ensuring business continuity for the pork industry. To support countries in their endeavor to manage the ASF risk, the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), has brought together ASF experts, risk managers, and private sector representatives to provide latest scientific knowledge and consult on recommendations for updated, more effective and sustainable disease management approaches. The consultation was held in FAO HQ in Rome on 12-14 December 2023 and was attended by more than 200 participants in person and online. Key recommendations include addressing human behavior along the value chain; updating international strategies based on scientific evidence; promoting passive surveillance in domestic pigs and wild boars; finding innovative ways for improving biosecurity along the value chain by understanding motivations, disincentives and incentives; foster collaboration between stakeholders and engage the private sector; carefully assess vaccination options; explore the possibility of partial culling; promote and further develop costing tools for better preparedness and economic estimations; promote compartmentalization and regionalization/zoning while working on improved trade strategies.