One Health Communication Network Quarter 2 /2015: A fieldtrip to Ninh Binh

During the meeting, representatives from Provincial Extension Agricultural Center in Ninh Binh introduced to participants a project of “Model of applying artificial insemination technique and community veterinary to promote pig husbandry in households following VietGAP standard”, hosted by National Agriculture Extension Center and implemented by Ninh Binh Provincial Extension Agricultural Center. The project has been implemented since May 2014 in two communes in Ninh Binh. The preliminary economic assessment of the model revealed that the household gained a profit of 30 millions VND per boar per year. Besides, artificial insemination has brought several advantages and benefits in breed improvement. Community veterinary network has been operating effectively, working closely with each commune and understanding thoroughly its specific situation, timely responding as well as effectively implementing neccessary tasks. Another presentation from Centre for Health Education and Communications also gave the outcomes of a pilot project on Control of Zoonotic Diseases at the Pig-Human Interface in Lang Son and Nam Dinh provinces. 

The fieldtrip provided OHCN members an opportunity to visit a pig farm which applies artificial insemination technique introduced in Yen Khanh district, Ninh Binh. The large scale pig farm had 12 high quality boars, each provides semen for 250 sows in farm and also for sows at surrounded household farms. The farm has been the NAEC’s pilot model since 2014 and highly appreciated with strict disease prevention and hygiene quality, visitors were not allowed to see the pigsty directly but via camera system. Vaccination for pigs was implemented strictly with the support of community veterinary network and district’s veterinary clinic. The team also visited another intergrated farm in Nho Quan district which grows different fruit trees and raises wild pigs in smaller scale.