This summer, FAO, in collaboration with Vojvodinasume and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), has already held nine training events for hunters on African swine fever (ASF) at various locations in Serbia, with today being the tenth and last. The trainings were organized upon the request of Serbia to widen the knowledge of hunters, specifically ‘intervention team members’ (hunting ground managers supporting ASF control), on ASF and hunting biosecurity.

The disease was first detected in 2019 in the country and outbreaks were noticed both in domestic pigs and wild boar. In 2021, new outbreaks were reported and further areas have been affected.

During the course of two months, more than 200 hunting ground managers (intervention team members) from hunting grounds across the country have taken part in the training, led by FAO expert and lead trainer Jovan Mirceta, on detecting ASF on their hunting ground, and preventing and controlling this deadly disease.