Abstract
Highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) viruses continue to threaten smallholder poultry producers in several South-east Asian countries, including Vietnam. In particular, the free-grazing duck system has been repeatedly highlighted as a major risk factor for HPAI outbreaks. Free-grazing ducks, which scavenge on rice paddies after the harvest, account for a large proportion of the duck population in Vietnam and the wider South-east Asian region. However, the structure and dynamics of the free-grazing duck production from farm to consumption has not been described for Vietnam. In this study, we used a value chain approach to provide a complete picture of the actors involved in the production and marketing of free-grazing duck eggs and spent layer ducks, as well as to investigate the governance structure of this food system. Group interviews and key informant interviews were conducted in two provinces located in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) and the Red River Delta (RRD). The results presented here highlight similarities and differences in farming and trade practices between the two provinces. The trade of spent layer ducks involved large volumes of live ducks being sent to China and Cambodia for consumption, generating a substantial risk of transboundary spread of pathogens, including HPAI viruses. We describe the major role of "duck yards", which act as hubs in the northbound trade of spent layer ducks. These yards should be considered as essential links in the value chain of spent layer ducks when considering HPAI surveillance and control. The veterinary authorities are only marginally involved in the value chain activities, and their influence could be strengthened by increasing surveillance activities for instance in duck yards. Last, we discuss the dynamics of the duck value chain and further implications for future HPAI management policies.
Highlights
Poultry meat and pork are the main sources of animal protein in Vietnam (Le, 2003)
In Vietnam, the duck production increased at a steady rate between 1990 and 2004, it has been stagnating since 2004 at around 60–80 million head per year (FAOSTAT, 2016)
This has been attributed to the severe impact of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks from 2003 onwards, in particular in the freegrazing duck production systems (Rushton, Viscarra, Guerne Bleich, & McLeod, 2005)
Summary
Poultry meat and pork are the main sources of animal protein in Vietnam (Le, 2003). The poultry production sector has been targeted by development policies since the late 1990s, in order to improve food security and tackle the widespread nutritional deficiencies in the country (Le, 2003). In Vietnam, the duck production increased at a steady rate between 1990 and 2004, it has been stagnating since 2004 at around 60–80 million head per year (FAOSTAT, 2016). This has been attributed to the severe impact of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) outbreaks from 2003 onwards, in particular in the freegrazing duck production systems (Rushton, Viscarra, Guerne Bleich, & McLeod, 2005). Three quarters of the duck egg production originate from two agro-ecological regions, namely the Mekong River Delta (MRD) in the south of the country and the Red River Delta (RRD) in the north (General Statistics Office of Vietnam, 2016)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: 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.