A global initiative has been set up to tackle the spread of African swine fever (ASF) and its potential threat to food security. As the deadly pig disease spreads worldwide, governments, industry and specialists are joining forces to take action, ultimately wanting to eradicate the disease and stabilize pork markets around the world.

Keeping this deadly pig disease at bay is the key focus under this new initiative backed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE). 

Strengthening safeguards 
It puts forward a catalog of recommendations as part of coordinated actions to get a grip on the global control of ASF – maintaining the spread of the disease and working toward complete elimination cannot be achieved by one sector or one country alone, stresses the FAO. 

ASF is one of the most devastating diseases affecting pigs worldwide today. Outbreaks often result in massive direct and indirect losses to the swine industry, making it economically devastating in countries with highly industrialized pig farming, but also in those countries with small-scale or back-yard pig production.

Despite prevention and control efforts, ASF is present in wild or domestic pigs in regions of Asia, Europe and Africa and has led to an unprecedented crisis in the global pig sector, causing price pressures on pork. 

The current situation presents a global risk to animal health and welfare, national and international economies, rural development, social and political behavior, national food security and national and international markets.

"Our goal is to prevent the spread – and ultimately eradicate – this disease, leveraging the latest science, best practices and international standards," says FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. "If not controlled, this disease will jeopardize progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals." 

"Today, no country is safe from African swine fever," adds OIE Director-General Monique Eloit. "The number of countries across the world reporting outbreaks to the OIE continues to grow. This corresponds to the biggest animal disease outbreak of our generation." 

She stresses the need for continued investment in veterinary services and the effective implementation of international standards, particularly those related to biosecurity and surveillance, to bring ASF under global control.

Coordinated effort is crucial to stamping out ASF
Through a coordinated effort, all actors in the pig production chain joining the Global Control of ASF GF-TADs Initiative can help to protect the livelihoods of vulnerable communities, safeguard animal health and welfare, and contribute to stabilizing the pig production sector as well as meat and feed prices in regional and international trade.

FAO and OIE call on all stakeholders to:
- Carry out national risk analysis and re-enforce risk management: including contingency planning, prevention, early detection, rapid response, and compensation policies to support industry recovery
- Maintain a high level of awareness on ASF risk mitigation among farmers, veterinarians, butchers, hunters, input suppliers and other value chain stakeholders
- Foster and support the implementation of good biosecurity practices, which are key to prevent further spread of ASF.
- Re-enforce and maintain border inspection to avoid disease spread between countries through illegal practices such as the smuggling of pork, pork products and live animals during travel and migration.
- Finalize research, development and validation of potential vaccines against ASF as well as related vaccination strategy.
- Support the improvement of laboratory diagnostics and rapid screening tools for ASF.
- Develop a holistic approach to ASF control in wildlife – taking all pig-types into account.
- Foster solidarity and cooperation between countries with varying levels of experience, resources, and capacity for ASF prevention and control.
- Foster Public-Private-Partnership for investment in ASF risk mitigation and management.

Not threatening to humans but critical for food security
The disease causes up to 100 percent fatality in wild and domestic pigs and there is no effective vaccine. 

The Chinese outbreak led to a considerable increase in European pigmeat prices, which put the European sector under pressure.Although not infectious to humans, pig production is critical for many economies and millions of peoples food security and livelihoods. The fatal disease continues to extend its reach, causing further damage in the socioeconomic fallout from COVID-19.

This transboundary animal disease (TAD) can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and pork products. 

Furthermore, transmission can also occur via contaminated feed and fomites (non-living objects) such as shoes, clothes, vehicles, knives, equipment, due to the high environmental resistance of ASF virus.

Global pork flows 
China, the world’s biggest pork producer, has largely bounced back from the shock of the initial ASF outbreak that dates back to August 2018 when the first case was found in Liaoning Province, in northeast China, when 47 pigs died. 

Chinese pig farms have been working hard to rebuild. 

The Chinese outbreak led to a considerable increase in European pigmeat prices, which put the European sector under pressure.

In September, China and other pork buyers banned German pork imports after the first case was /confirm/ied. This caused Chinese pork prices to increase.

Earlier this month, several more cases of ASF were confirmed in wild boar in the eastern German state of Brandenburg, according to Germany’s federal agriculture ministry. 

This brings the total number of confirmed cases to 69. However, all are in wild animals with no farm pigs affected. 

Last month, nine countries collectively comprised a “region of concern” identified by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), spearheading a major campaign to raise awareness in southeastern Europe. 

The Initiative has targeted these high-risk nations due to their proximity to other countries wher ASF is present.

Still, ASF remains a prominent threat to the European meat processing industry, which is carefully monitoring what is happening in neighboring countries.

FAO and OIE will present the Initiative for the first time on a global stage as part of a Call to Action event this week.