Diseases like the African Swine Fever (ASF) need to be managed at the rural level.
The National Agriculture Quarantine and Inspection Authority (NAQIA) believes this is an effective way of containing the ASF.
Speaking at the recent launching of the African Swine Fever media package, NAQIA’s managing director, Joel Alu, stressed on the need to inform and educate the rural populace.
“All of us know that Papua New Guinea is a rural-based country; 85 percent of people live there,” he stated. “And 85 percent of all these diseases must be managed at the rural level.”
Alu said this is why the risk communication program and product by the Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Program, or PHAMA Plus, and NAQIA will go a long way in fighting this disease.
“NAQIA, we believe that we can eradicate this disease if we can have the support from everybody, including our Government. We’ve done it before with the Newcastle disease. Maybe the Newcastle disease may have been (affecting) a different type of animal, or we’ve done it with the Cocoa Pod Borer; we’re managing that.”
Alu says NAQIA needs all the help it can get as the Highlands region, especially, poses a challenge when it comes to controlling people’s movement.
And the issue is further compounded as pigs are important social and cultural commodities.
(The African Swine Fever checkpoint at the Enga-Western Highlands border)