Agri-10 and NORMINHOG strengthen areas for collab against ASF.

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 continues to intensify its efforts to curb the incidence of African Swine Fever (ASF) in the five provinces of Northern Mindanao.

This, DA-10 Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan reassured, in a meeting with Northern Mindanao Hog Raisers Association, Inc. (NORMINHOG) President, Leon G. Tan, Jr. and association members on May 6, at the agency compound.

As a show of support for the newly installed agri chief executive, the swine industry stakeholder reiterated their association’s initiatives that complement DA’s present strategy on the prevention and control of ASF in the region, which include the close monitoring of suspected cases.

DA-10, through its Regulatory Division and Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL), also provides guidance and shares best practices on raising hogs and preventing ASF; collection and testing of samples; depopulation; quarantine and other key measures to prevent the spread of the disease.

During the meeting, NORMINHOG also proposed to intensify the joint efforts of the public and private sector on the dissemination of information on ASF, especially to backyard hog raisers to ensure compliance with the set standards and safety measures against the same.

In response, RED Pacamalan said that the DA-10 will revisit its current approach on tackling said disease, putting into consideration inputs from partners from the local government units and the industry.

“We have to revisit our strategies on how we handle [ASF] in the region. We also have to touch base with our local government units, especially those who we deem as high-risk, and consult on the next best steps to take on this,” he said.

Further, the agri chief exec underscored the need for a more proactive sampling and testing, and for an online-based reports system which will consolidate pertinent information on ASF incidence on the city, municipal, provincial, and regional level.

“If we make use of an online reporting system, we are able to generate analytics and visualize the trends in the communities we monitor, which in turn will influence how we at the regional level act and make decisions accordingly,” the DA official added.

Present in support of the meeting were DA-10 Farmer-Director for the month of May, Nilda B. Salas, Regulatory Division chief Eduardo N. Pit, PhD, Supervising Agriculturist Janniver C. Chua, DVM, Veterinarian III Rhea Villa R. Chiu, DVM, and members of the NORMINHOG.# (GDA)