Evaluation of smallholder pig production and marketing systems in relation to porcine cysticercosis in Mbeya Region, Tanzania
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Date
2021
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Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Four studies were conducted to evaluate smallholder pig production and marketing
systems in relation to porcine cysticercosis (PC) in Mbeya region, Tanzania. In study
one, a topical Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) method was used to characterize
production systems. The study involved 279 pig-keeping households in nine villages of
Mbozi and Mbeya rural districts. In study two, a cross sectional survey was used to
collect data on pig production, marketing, and prevalence of PC from a random sample
of 300 pig-keeping households in 30 villages of the same districts. Concurrently, 600
pigs from the sampled households were examined for PC using lingual examination
and Antigen-ELISA tests. In study three, a longitudinal design involving 40 pig
keeping households in 10 villages of the two districts was conducted to examine pig
production and marketing dynamics between seasons. In study four, a cross sectional
survey using structured questionnaires was used to collect data from 124 randomly
sampled pig traders in Mbozi, Mbeya rural and Mbeya urban districts.
Mean land size per household was 2.0 ha. Pig keepers in Mbozi district had
significantly bigger land (2.6± 0.2 ha, P0.001) and pig herd sizes (5.5± 4.7, P < 0.05)
than those in Mbeya rural. Age, marital status, household size, and land size had
significant influence on pig herd size (P
0.05). Three pig management systems were
practised, namely; total confinement (TC), semi confinement (SC) and free
range/herding (FRH). TC and SC were the dominant systems practised by 42 and 49 %
of pig keepers, respectively. Household socio-economic factors and seasons of the year
had varying influence on distribution of pig management systems. Majority (93 %) of
pig keepers were aware of PC, but only 23.2 % of them had knowledge on how pigs
were infected. PC affected all study villages. Household level prevalence varied between 10 and 90% with mean of 45.3 %. Risk factors for PC prevalence were; FRH
and SC (OR=2.1, P< 0.01), poor pig shelter (OR = 8.4, P< 0.05), previous experience
of PC in the pig herd (OR = 2.6, P < 0.01) and sourcing of water from rivers (OR=3.1,
P< 0.001,) and ponds (OR = 5.0, P< 0.05). The important risk behaviours for PC
prevalence in pig marketing system were; the dominancy of informal marketing
channels, inadequate and poor slaughter facilities and inadequate inspection services.
It is concluded that the smallholder pig production has the potential to increase
productivity, profitability, and thus improving livelihood of smallholder farmers if
suitable and sustainable policies and technological innovations are developed and
implemented. Research, development, and promotion of integrated approaches and
combination of simple and cost effective interventions are recommended.
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Keywords
Smallholder pig production, Porcine cysticercosis relation, Marketing systems, Mbeya Region, Tanzania