(PNA file photo of ASF-infected pigs)
DAVAO CITY – The Agricultural Training Institute in Davao Region (ATI-11) is intensifying its training of village animal workers on biosecurity measures to prevent African swine fever (ASF) from harming livelihood and supply.
Dr. Omarbliss Dalam, ATI-11 senior agriculturist, said ASF training in villages started during the pandemic.
“We are tasked to conduct training for the barangay animal workers to teach them what ASF is. They will also learn how to handle should cases of ASF occur in their areas,” Dalam said in an interview Friday.
“Since there is a change of officials and workers in the barangay, we need to intensify and refresh their knowledge about ASF again.”
Dalam noted that more must to be trained since several communities in the region have large land areas.
“We need more trainees because there are numerous bypass roads connecting different places and providing links to rural areas, which may be susceptible to the entry of potentially ASF-contaminated products,” Dalam said.
The training includes identifying ASF signs and symptoms and applying protocols to prevent the spread of the disease.
The latest ASF zoning data of the Department of Agriculture-Davao Region (DA-11) showed that 17 towns and cities in the region that belonged to the red zone (highly affected) have been lowered from pink (no longer present but adjacent to an infected zone) to yellow (ASF-free but adjacent to pink zones).
“With this development, we can be assured that our livestock industry is now recovering, and our nightmare brought about by the ASF outbreak in the region is over,” DA-11 Director Macario Gonzaga said in a statement. (PNA)
