The activities conducted on the island included technical discussions and site visits to pig farms, where samples were gathered for the early identification of the virus. This effort marks the first proactive approach in Caribbean farms for the early detection of this highly infectious disease, laying the groundwork for future monitoring initiatives in other countries involved in the project. The experts from IICA and USDA, in conjunction with the Barbadian veterinary team, established a national passive surveillance framework that encompasses a systematic schedule for sample collection and monitoring of farms and slaughterhouses to avert potential outbreaks. A significant outcome of this mission was the establishment of a technical team in Barbados, ready to commence early surveillance activities.
The project is advancing, with Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana identified as the next Caribbean nations for sampling, chosen due to their geographical closeness to Hispaniola, where ASF is currently present. The IICA and USDA initiative will also take part in Agriculture Week in St. Vincent, featuring a workshop focused on ASF compensation and sanitary insurance, along with a presentation of the previous year’s results to CARICOM ministers and veterinary service leaders.
Looking ahead, IICA and USDA plan to extend the project to the Andean region in 2025, including countries from that area as beneficiaries. By the conclusion of 2024, it is anticipated that sampling will be finalized in three Caribbean nations, with surveillance strategies established and the project launched across three beneficiary regions: Central America, the Andean region, and the Caribbean.
In terms of institutional support, Allister Glean, IICA’s representative in Barbados, highlighted the significance of this collaborative effort to effectively combat ASF and expressed a commitment to enhancing partnerships through technical training. “We are committed to working hand-in-hand with the Official Veterinary Service of Barbados and local producers to strengthen prevention and surveillance measures, ensuring a coordinated and effective response to any eventuality,” Glean stated.
The USDA team from Puerto Rico, led by Fred Soltero, played a vital role in training and supporting the officials of Barbados’ Official Veterinary Service, emphasizing the critical nature of disease containment to prevent its spread to other Caribbean islands. “The transmission of ASF to other nations would significantly endanger the regional economy, making containment crucial for safeguarding both producers and the food security of the region,” Soltero, a USDA veterinarian overseeing the Puerto Rico office, emphasized.
Mark Trotman, Head of the Official Veterinary Service of Barbados’ Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Nutritional Security, announced that the local team is now better equipped to initiate the surveillance phase and is prepared to implement the knowledge and skills acquired.
First off, there’s no such thing as ‘African swine flu’. Do not accept these European naming conventions. People there hardly eat swine except some Christians. To switch and take your place they hit us with derogatory words the past 400years in their media, monkey pox(meaning you) until they had to eat their vomit after you protest, they did. Those pus, syphilis, flu and “gun” have always been the European weapons of choice. They switch and take your place using you and your people as priests, pastors and so-called ‘educated’ people to make it stick. You shouldn’t have bought it.