Background
The swine population of the Americas ranks third in importance in terms of the world's regions, amounting to about 151 million against a world total of 916 million (1999). The Asia region tops the list with 523 million pigs, while Europe follows in the second position with 210 million.
In recent years, there has been a tremendous growth in the region in the sector of large-scale industrial swine production using advanced technology. The growth has also seen an increase in pig slaughter numbers and per capita pork consumption. In the same way, pork and pork product exportation has increased during the last decade. However, the major obstacle to full development of production in the region is the presence of classical swine fever (CSF), also known as hog cholera, which is the main limiting factor to international trade in swine and their products. As evidence of CSF's economic impact, in 1998 it was estimated that in El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua, annual losses counting only mortality, weight and other losses during the period of convalescence of those surviving infection, amounted to US$20 million. These losses were especially suffered by the poorest populations of rural areas.
In view of the above, a plan to eradicate CSF from the Americas is currently being prepared. The proposed plan is the result of a discussion, during a recent FAO workshop, between specialists in the disease and various official veterinary services of the region, taking into account their experiences of the control and eradication of CSF. The workshop was organized in conjunction with the Agriculture and Livestock Service of Chile in Santiago.
Emerging needs
A recent study by FAO and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) suggests that there will be an upsurge in the demand for animal origin protein in the next 20 years. This comes on the heels of improved prosperity in the majority of regions. Pork and poultry are expected to take the lead in satisfying animal protein requirements, particularly in emerging Asian markets.
Because of the enormous growth potential of swine production in Latin America and the emergence of new markets within the region (the North American Free Trade Agreement [NAFTA], the Caribbean Community [CARICOM], the Southern Common Market [MERCOSUR], the Andean Community, etc.) as well as emerging Asian markets, the eradication of CSF from the southern hemisphere in order to eliminate this sanitary barrier is seen as a strategic necessity for increasing both production and international commerce.
Pig raising in Brazil
FAO/19281
Approach
Important advances in the control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease and other diseases of domestic animals that affect the majority of the countries of the southern hemisphere have led to significant development of veterinary service infrastructure. These advances have also led to the definition and strengthening of coordination between the private and public sectors, and the establishment of mechanisms for coordinated complementary support provided to animal health programmes by international organizations. Applying this experience to the control and eradication of CSF would be a significant step towards facilitating international commerce for the swine production of Latin America and the Caribbean. The major beneficiaries would be other markets, particularly the developing Asian markets that are great pork consumers.
During the last decade American countries have made great efforts to control and eradicate CSF, giving priority to individual programmes with investments exceeding hundreds of millions of US dollars. On occasions, the success has been limited by the lack of a hemispheric strategy and the lack of international coordination between these programmes.
This FAO-initiated plan, known as the "Hemispheric Plan", proposes a two-step strategy: an initial phase of eradicating the disease from various areas of the hemisphere, then consolidating and maintaining these areas CSF-free. The second phase will follow a regionalization model based on advances made by countries in the initial process of eradication. This regionalization will be useful for the steering committee and the technical secretariat as a reference for evaluating progress in countries according to plans developed individually by each one. The regionalization model can then be modified according to advances made in the control and elimination of the disease.
The goal is to eradicate the disease from the Americas by the year 2020. Its execution will be focused fundamentally on three different levels: the Americas level, the regional and/or subregional level, and individual country programmes to eradicate CSF.
An important prerequisite for the success of the Hemispheric Plan is strong political support from the governments concerned.
International organizations' response
According to the plan, priority will be given to infected areas near those that are CSF-free. However, international agencies may assist in problem areas, especially those near borders, if requests are made by the countries concerned.
Plans to control and eradicate CSF such as those being developed by the Regional International Organization for Animal and Plant Health (OIRSA) for Central America could complement the Hemispheric Plan.
The international agencies taking part in the Hemispheric Plan are: FAO, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), the Pan-American Foot-and-Mouth Disease Center (PFMDC)/WHO, the OIE, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Pan-American Association of Veterinary Sciences (PANVET), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA) and the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA). FAO will take charge of the technical secretariat. PFMDC is coordinating the system for disease surveillance, which is undergoing modernization in order to help eradication efforts.