Abstract
The 1998 Nipah virus outbreak in Malaysia resulted in major financial losses to the multi-million-dollar swine industry. While productivity and biosecurity of pig farms have improved since, biosecurity in some farms remains substandard with farmers struggling to adapt to current national pig farming policies. Farm viability and animal health depends on farmers' role as decision-makers in managing disease threats and other aspects of farm management. This study aimed to describe the mental model of farmers in making decisions about disease prevention and control measures during the 1998 Nipah virus outbreak, and in 2019, 20 years after the last reported Nipah case. Using a qualitative approach, in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 12 pig farmers (mostly small-scale or medium-scale farms) were conducted in three states in Malaysia. Data were analyzed via inductive content analysis. Thirty-six unique dimensions in the mental model were identified, representing six interrelated themes corresponding to participants' decision making related to disease prevention and control: drivers of action to prevent and control disease; perception of practice options; individual determinants of familiar practices; external social factors; external economic factors; and additional external factors. Key drivers of disease control and prevention responses during the Nipah outbreak included heightened perception of risk, emotions, perceived economic loss, and subjective norms whereas key drivers in 2019 included perception of risk, perceived effectiveness, perceived benefits, and other dimensions such as perception of the future, perceived economic cost, barriers, and loss. An unfavorable future outlook, perceived economic factors, and socio-political and personal factors currently hinders farm improvement and adoption of Pig Farming Areas (PFAs) and Modern Pig Farming (MPF) systems. Private sector service providers and veterinarians are highly influential in advocating for good biosecurity, herd health, and animal health intervention practices. Insights gained can inform the development of strategic policies and interventions.
Highlights
In Malaysia, pigs are the second largest livestock commodity with an estimated 1.7 million heads from 614 farms in 2020
Because of the tremendous impact of Nipah disease, all farmers in the study were highly familiar with the disease even though none reported Nipah outbreak on their farms
None of the farms were located in a Pig Farming Areas (PFAs) (Table 1)
Summary
In Malaysia, pigs are the second largest livestock commodity with an estimated 1.7 million heads from 614 farms in 2020. The pig industry in Malaysia mostly caters to the country’s ethnic Chinese population [1,2,3]. Pig rearing in Malaysia began during the early days of Chinese settlement in the form of backyard subsistence farming. The practice flourished into a commercialized enterprise in the 1950s and a full-fledged trade commodity by 1981 [1, 4]. Intensification of pig farms led to environmental pollution and sparked socioreligious and land development issues [5]. Pig Farming Areas (PFAs) were introduced in 1991 by the Ministry of Agriculture of Malaysia [6]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
