Fiji is boosting its animal health and response capacity towards African Swine Fever (ASF) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed today.

The MoU between the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji (BAF) and the Australia and New Zealand funded Pacific Horticultural and Agricultural Market Access Plus (PHAMA Plus) Program aims to strengthen Fiji’s preparedness against any possible incursion of ASF into the country.

ASF is a highly transmittable viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs. It does not affect humans and there are no treatments or vaccines. While Fiji is currently free of the disease, ASF is now present in Papua New Guinea, and poses a significant social, economic and cultural threat to the region, particularly to the approximately 30,000 households in Fiji that raise pigs for their livelihoods.