Table 2 Overview of key challenges in ASF control and thematic coding of stakeholder perspectives. The table presents the main topics and motives of challenges in regard to ASF control as reported by participants across various sectors
From: Participatory modeling meets African swine fever – Systems Thinking in action
Topic | Codes | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
Awareness | Media reports | Media reports must be technically correct and understandable |
Motivation | Long-term motivation of involved stakeholders to fight ASF and implement measures is needed | |
Unknowing population | There is ignorance or lack of understanding among the general population | |
Control strategies | Alternative control strategies | Alternative control measures should be researched and applied |
Compulsory stabling | Compulsory stabling impedes animal welfare and has a negative impact on farmed pigs | |
Effect of fences | The construction of fences has negative effects on other wildlife species | |
Trade restrictions | Due to ASF restrictions, trade with pigs is only possible to a limited extent or not at all | |
Timber marketing restrictions | Due to ASF restrictions, timber marketing or trade is limited or not possible at all | |
Reduction of wild boar population | The reduction of the wild boar populations is a challenge | |
Reasonableness | The meaningfulness and reasonableness of control measures is questionable | |
Animal husbandry | Animal husbandry must be species-appropriate and in compliance with animal welfare standards | |
Killing of healthy animals | The killing of healthy domestic and wild boar is ethically rejected | |
Loss gene pool | Due to ASF restrictions, there will be a loss in the gene pool of certain rare pig species | |
Legal framework | Data management | Data collection and storage (compliant with data protection) is a challenge |
Heterogeneity of regulations | Different regulations apply in different counties/federal states | |
Samples according to specifications | Samples must be submitted (to the lab) in accordance with official requirements, otherwise evaluation is only possible with delays or not at all | |
Implementation of legal requirements | Legal regulations, guidelines, etc. are interpreted differently ("strictly") in some cases | |
Different areas of law | Different areas of law are affected (animal protection, animal disease law, hunting law, property law, etc.) | |
Communication | Improved communication | More transparent communication among involved actors is needed, appropriate communication channels must be established |
Coordination | Clear and transparent coordination of different actors is challenging but necessary | |
Preparation | Preparation for possible outbreaks is necessary, e.g. provision of personnel and establishment of a crisis team | |
Cooperation | Cooperation between different actors is necessary or must be encouraged | |
Resources | Skills | Personnel needs sufficient expertise |
Ammunition | Availability of sufficient ammunition for hunting | |
Lack of resources | Lack of personnel, technical equipment, financial resources, or the like | |
Time management | Time management in the context of ASF control is a challenge |