November 14, 2022

Philippines launches swine farm compartmentalisation programme

The Philippines' Department of Agriculture has launched the Compartmentalisation Program of swine farms, one of the major components of the country's Integrated National Swine Production Initiatives for Recovery and Expansion (INSPIRE) Program.

As defined in the DA Memorandum Circular No. 25, Series of 2022, compartment means a swine sub-population contained in one farm or farm cluster with a strictly supervised biosecurity management system where surveillance, enhanced biosecurity and movement monitoring are applied.

The Compartmentalisation Program, which is undertaken with the cooperation of the University of Minnesota (UMN), Philippine College of Swine Practitioners (PCSP) and United Batangas Hog Raisers Association (UNIBAT), intends to provide a risk management strategy to protect animal health status and protect business continuity, thus ensuring food security.

Under the programme, the compartment shall set clear guidelines for its operation, wherein the location of all its components and related units will be clearly identified. These include feed mills, slaughterhouses and any rendering plants, or farms within compartments.

The province of Batangas was selected as a pilot area in the implementation of the programme.

In 2021, Batangas City was also chosen as a pilot area for the biosecurity and surveillance programme, "Bantay ASF sa Barangay." Batangas was the first province to be cleared from African swine fever (ASF) that affected six of its municipalities.

- Department of Agriculture (Philippines)