Analysis of pig trading networks and practices in Uganda

Abstract

East Africa is undergoing rapid expansion of pig rearing, driven by increasing pork consumption. Introduction and expansion of pig production systems in this biodiverse landscape may create new risks, including zoonotic pathogen transmission. Historically, biosecurity measures have primarily been focused at farm level, ignoring the important function pig traders fulfill between farmers and consumers. This study interviewed pig traders operating at Uganda's only registered pork abattoir to describe their characteristics, business practices, biosecurity practices, and pig health management and reporting practices. All the traders were male, and nearly all (90.5%) relied on pig trading as their primary source of income. Most of the pigs brought for processing at the slaughterhouse were purchased from smallholder farms (87.3%). In addition, there was a significant difference in the high price paid per kilogram at farm gate by region (P = 0.005). High prices paid at farm gate were associated with holiday periods (P < 0.001), harvest season (P < 0.001), and drought (P < 0.001). Traders preferred buying live pigs from male farmers (88.9%) because they were considered the final decision makers and owned the pigs being sold. All pig traders were aware of clinical signs indicating a pig was sick. This study has provided baseline information on pig trader practices in Uganda. Improvements in local pork slaughterhouses and markets will benefit not only pig traders in accessing consistent customers but also individual pig farmers by increasing their market access. Finally, given their role as a link between farmers and consumers, traders would benefit from targeted inclusion in disease control and prevention strategies.

Hepatitis E in Sub Saharan Africa – A significant emerging disease

“…In Uganda, there is a rapid increase in pig production as a result of increasing pork consumption. Total pork consumption has increased more than 20 times in the past 50 years [ 133 ] and is estimated to increase by 185% over the next 30 years from 2000 [ 134 ]. Likewise, in Ghana pig production has increased at a rate of 10.5% annually over the last 15 years, however demand still exceeds domestic production by 20% [ 135 , 136 ].…”

Evidence of exposure to henipaviruses in domestic pigs in Uganda

“…The study area is described in detail elsewhere (Atherstone et al., ). Briefly, this study was conducted at Wambizzi Cooperative Society slaughterhouse in Nalukolongo, southwestern Kampala, which is the capital of Uganda.…”

“…Millions of smallholder farmers rely on pig keeping to diversify their income, reduce financial risk, and improve livelihood security (Dione, Ouma, Opio, Kawuma, & Pezo, ). Traders link these smallholder farmers to consistent pork markets, aggregating live pigs from rural and urban farms and transporting them across multiple districts and regions within Uganda to meet the demand for pork in large urban areas (Atherstone et al., ). Despite the rapid growth in the domestic pig population, the extensive movement of pigs across the country and the widespread distribution of a suitable reservoir host for henipaviruses, the public health risk of spillover from pigs has not been investigated in Uganda.…”

With or without a Vaccine—A Review of Complementary and Alternative Approaches to Managing African Swine Fever in Resource-Constrained Smallholder Settings

“…In the smallholder pig production value chains pig slaughter is mostly done at village slaughter slabs without veterinary inspection or the possibility of maintaining even basic slaughter hygiene. Such practices combined with frequent under-reporting of diseases [ 134 ] and high viral loads in blood make biosecurity improvements in trade and slaughter especially important for breaking the transmission chain [ 135 ]. Measures for this part of the value chain should aim at reducing the opportunities for pigs to come into direct or indirect contact with blood and offal.…”