ITANAGAR, 8 Sep: Following the spread of African swine fever (ASF) to new districts in Arunachal Pradesh, Mercy For Animals (MFA) India Foundation has sent a letter to Agriculture Minister Gabriel D Wangsu, calling for urgent implementation of the comprehensive package of practices developed by The National Research Centre on Pigs(NRCP), offering guidance on scientific housing, hygiene, waste disposal, and farmer training – all ready for ground-level implementation.
“Recurring African swine fever in Arunachal Pradesh highlights systemic challenges in pig farming,” said Niharika Kapoor, organising specialist at Mercy For Animals India Foundation. “In commercial pig farms, pigs are often fed untreated or rotten swill and kept in unhygienic living conditions to reduce costs, which in turn compromises hygiene
and creates serious risks for both animal and public health. We urge the government to urgently implement comprehensive reforms, including the NRCP package of practices, to uphold animal welfare standards, improve hygiene, and prevent future outbreaks” she added.
MFA India’s letter outlined the adoption of the NRCPpackage of practices for scientific farming, hygiene, and waste disposal, alignment with the National ASF Action Plan 2020 for consistent surveillance and movement controls, launching awareness and training initiatives for farmers on biosecurity best practices,and implementing robust monitoring systems with pig-holding registration and regular inspections.
MFA India has previously liaisoned with state governments across the country to get the prohibition on gestation crates implemented in at least 22 Indian states.
