Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices of Swine Farmers related to Livestock Biosecurity: A Case Study of African Swine Fever in Vietnam

Abstract

Purpose: African Swine Fever (ASF), one of the world’s most contagious and deadly livestock infectious diseases, was introduced to Vietnam in 2019 and has since become one of the biggest threats to the country’s porcine industry. To this day, very little is known about the major drivers of ASF outbreaks – in particular, the generally low levels of biosecurity found on smallholder farms in Vietnam. The main objective of this paper is to assess the knowledge disparities, diverging attitudes, and different practices among smallholder pig farming households that influence the adoption, implementation, and continuation of ASF biosecurity measures in Vietnam. Research Method: Structured questionnaire surveys were conducted to 183 smallholder pig farming households in December 2020 in four districts of Dong Nai, the largest pig production province in Vietnam. The determinants of farmers’ knowledge and attitude toward ASF were estimated using an ordinal probit regression; a panel-data probit regression approximated the probability of farmers adopting biosecurity measures. Findings: It was found that, prior to the first outbreaks of ASF in Vietnam in 2019, surveyed pig farmers generally had an inadequate level of knowledge about ASF to be able to successfully prevent and control the disease’s spread. Rather, farmers only managed to significantly improve their understanding of ASF after outbreaks had begun. Model estimates indicate that a better understanding of ASF ultimately helped improve farmers’ attitudes toward ASF biosecurity measures. Additionally, farmers with previous experience in dealing with other livestock infectious disease outbreaks were, in most cases, found to be more willing to implement ASF biosecurity measures. Together, deeper understanding of ASF and more positive attitudes towards ASF prevention and control measures contributed to an overall increase in the likelihood of farmers adopting and implementing appropriate ASF biosecurity practices. Originality/ Value: This paper highlights the need for improved community education campaigns in efforts to prevent and contain ASF outbreaks, as well as the need for increased financial assistance and support for swine farmers to enable them to adopt effective biosecurity practices.