Being prepared together: ASF control in wild boar through participatory modelling

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Epidemiology
• Wildlife Disease Ecology
• Participatory Risk Assessment

Background:

• African swine fever (ASF) presents a significant threat to European pig farming and wild boar populations.
• Effective control of ASF in wild boar requires complex, multi-stakeholder management strategies.
• Traditional risk assessments can be enhanced by participatory modeling for complex animal health systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To strengthen ASF preparedness in Switzerland by applying participatory modeling with regional stakeholders.
• To co-develop semi-quantitative system models for anticipated ASF control in wild boar.
• To identify key control measures, influencing factors, and consequences for ASF management.

Main Methods:

• Engaged stakeholders from two Swiss regions in a structured workshop series.
• Co-developed semi-quantitative system models focusing on ASF control in wild boar.
• Prioritized control measures based on expected system impact and identified leveraging/hindering factors.

Main Results:

• Stakeholder-informed models prioritized coordination, operational/risk communication, and carcass management.
• Identified critical enablers: coordination structures, legal frameworks, and resource availability (personnel, dogs).
• Highlighted the need for clear, centralized government leadership in ASF response.

Conclusions:

• Participatory modeling effectively integrates stakeholder expertise into disease control planning.
• The approach fostered trust, strengthened networks, and enhanced knowledge co-construction.
• This leads to greater shared ownership of preparedness strategies for complex animal health issues like ASF.