| dc.description.abstract | Introduction: African Swine Fever (ASF) is a highly contagious and deadly viral disease that is a major cause of losses to pig farmers. This cross-sectional study assessed the knowledge, attitude, and practices of the pig value chain actors, documented their biosecurity status, and identified the predisposing factors for the recurrent outbreaks of ASF in Kumi district.
Methodology: Mixed methods of approach, coupled with triangulation, were employed to obtain data from 346 pig actors.
Results: Data was collected from 60.12% males and 39.88% females and showed that 4.47% of farmers and 7.63% of other actors did not know any ASF preventive and control measures. It was established that most (69.67%) farmers reported culling pigs as the best way of controlling ASF outbreaks but failed to practice it since a great proportion, 42.18% sold pigs during epidemics. Non-compliance to animal movement regulations (49.55%), use of neighbor’s boars (47.39%), and consumption of infected pork (71.11%) were the major factors for the occurrence of ASF. The farmers practiced poor biosecurity measures as most (66.35%) did not clean the pens/pig shelters on schedule, while 50.24% openly disposed of waste and only 4.29% had foot baths. The risk factors associated with ASF were: a formal education up to primary (AOR=4.41, 95%CI 1.71-11.40) and secondary (AOR=4.16,95%CI 1.44-12.01); the age of the actor (AOR=0.1795%CI 0.03-0.96); keeping mixed breeds of pigs (AOR=0.16, 95%CI 0.05-0.54); reporting suspected ASF cases to LCs (AOR=0.015, 95%CI 0.00-0.43); waste disposal into the open (AOR=2.25, 95%CI 1.00-5.04); disposal of pigs died of suspected ASF (AOR=4.47, 95%CI, 1.17-17.04); meeting animal movement requirements (AOR=10.46, 95%CI 1.87-58.46); and dry season.
Conclusion: The pig value chain actors lacked sufficient knowledge of disease transmission, prevention, and control. The actors including the veterinary workers had a good attitude towards pig farming and its profitability, but a poor attitude towards ASF prevention and control. The occurrence and spread of ASF were closely linked to low education levels, dry season and practices such as waste disposal into the open, poor disposal of pigs died of suspected ASF, and non-compliance to animal movement regulations, as biosecurity measures by actors were hardly instituted.
Recommendation: There should be continuous education of all pig value chain actors on ASF transmission, prevention, and control by veterinarians to enhance knowledge of the disease. | en_US |
