Trends, Issues and Options in applying long term Biosecurity measures on production systems and sector structure

1. Technical Meeting on HPAI Rome, 27-29 June 2007 Trends, Issues and Optionsin applying long term Biosecurity measures on production systems and sector structure O. Thieme AGAP FAO, Rome

2. What is On-Farm Biosecurity? • Security from transmission of infectious diseases, parasites and pests to a production unit in which the infection has not yet occurred • Bioexclusion • Application of health control measures to prevent introduction and spread of new infectious agents into flocks • Biocontainment • Preventing the spread of current and existing pathogen amongst animal groups within a farm or the release from the farm • Improving the Biosecurity level may involve both structural and behaviour changes

3. Biosecurity along the value chains Production practices/ socio cultural aspects Transport/Marketing Processing

4. Factors influencing Biosecurity - Wild birds - Rodents - Insects - Dogs, Cats - Litter (e.g. sawdust) - Feed - Water - Air (ventilation) - Medication - Day-old chicks from hatcheries - Birds from other sources - Other birds Poultry Flock/House - Humans - Vehicles - Equipment

5. Risks factors • Density (farms, human population, poultry) • Farm practices • Poultry workers • Mixing of poultry species • Movement (human, vehicles, cages, etc.) • Interaction with wild birds

6. Poultry sectors definitions • Sector 1: Industrial integrated system • Sector 2: Large commercial poultry production system with moderate to high biosecurity • Sector 3: Small to medium commercial poultry production system with low to minimal biosecurity • Sector 4: Village or backyard production with minimal biosecurity

7. Judging the Risk Low Sector 4 Sector3 Sector 2 High Sector 1 Requirements and opportunities for Biosecurity Risk of incursion Risk of Spreading Opportunities for Control

8. Good Biosecurity through managing the risks • Structural Change • Change of production system driven by market forces • Restructuring • Change of the production system through external interventions • Incentives, Regulations • Official control and enforcement • Training and awareness

9. Country experiences • Biosecurity of small producers (Egypt, Vietnam, Cameroon, Togo) • No clear understanding of HPAI and its spread • Limited or no changes of husbandry practices and biosecurity • Difficulties for the veterinary services to reach the small producer • Importance of training and awareness to reach the producer • Restrictions for live bird markets have created difficulties for small producers and frictions. • Need for building trust and good relationship between authorities and producers

10. Case study - Poultry farms/Egypt 5-20,000 Distance in between farms Capacity 20,000 Broiler Workers behaviour Contact with other flocks Capacity 5,000 Broiler

11. Mechanisation and Hygiene? Quarantine? Water sources? Eggs handling?

12. Backyard in Egypt – Poultry everywhere

13. “Biocontainment?” Disposal of Manure Egg shells from hatcheries

14. Country experience • Restructuring (Vietnam) • Producers are willing to change and improve practices, but see many difficulties for implementation • Organized industrial production requires private investors as the drivers of the process • Structure of land ownership is a key constraint for relocation • Availability of credit for poultry production is limited • Consumer preferences for processed poultry products is limited • Animal health services are not well prepared for restructuring • In the near future the chances of significantly reducing the number of small producers are low

15. Long Term Biosecurity Requires • Better match between production and marketing practices and disease risks: • Deliberate Structural Changes • Restructuring • Considering three main components: • Knowledge and practices of producers and others who are part of the value chains • Setting standards and official control • Change of priorities and demand of consumers

16. Recommendations • Need to better understand the value chains and risk points • Define biosecurity requirements for different production systems • Training and awareness campaigns for all sectors and production systems • Official control and enforcement of good Biosecurity for the larger poultry producer • Planning and implementation of restructuring only after proper consultation • Consequences for the livelihood of smallholders should be taken seriously into consideration and necessary means of compensation included in the interventions

17. Thank You O. Thieme AGAP FAO, Rome Italy