In the past two months, ASF has rapidly spread and is expected to continue expanding across the provincial communes. As of August 4, 2025, the total number of pigs infected with ASF and culled in the province is 3,104, with a total weight of 140,537kg, an increase of 4.1 times compared to the same period in 2024. The disease has not only caused significant economic losses but has also left people anxious about rebreeding, significantly affecting the province’s food supply.

One of the main reasons for the recurrence of the disease is the complacency in farming practices, poor farm hygiene, and the lack of knowledge about rebreeding, quarantine, and disease prevention among the people. Facing increasingly complex epidemics, the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment has shifted from a reactive mindset to proactive disease prevention. The province encourages the development of safe biological farming models with closed-loop systems, epidemiological monitoring, and enhancing the role of veterinary services, while promoting value chain production linkages.

The effectiveness of safe biological farming is clearly demonstrated in closed-loop models where disease outbreaks are nearly non-existent. For example, the Huy Toan Company farm in Thanh Yên commune, with over 3,500 pigs per batch, implements a closed-loop system, strictly controlling breeding, feed, farm hygiene, animal health monitoring, and isolation of livestock. As a result, the farm’s pigs have remained immune to ASF and other diseases, ensuring stable and safe production.

Similarly, the high-quality pig farm of the Quang Lành Trading Company (Núa Ngam commune) is a shining example of safe biological farming. Since its establishment in 2018, the farm has built a closed production process, strictly following the VietGAP standards for all stages, from selecting breeds, controlling feed sources, care, disease prevention to environmental management and product consumption. This process is carefully supervised by the technical team and in coordination with relevant sectors, ensuring a high level of biosecurity and minimizing the risk of disease outbreaks. Thanks to proactive epidemiological control and the application of a closed production value chain, the Quang Lành farm has remained safe during multiple ASF outbreaks.

According to Ms. Chu Thị Thanh Xuân, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Environment, in the context of ASF’s complex evolution, safe biological farming has proven to be an effective, sustainable direction. Real-life examples show that in models applying strict biosecurity procedures, diseases are either non-existent or have very minimal impact due to effective control from breeding sources, feed, environment, and farm conditions. The Department of Agriculture has been encouraging farmers and businesses to shift to new production models, strengthen value chain linkages, and apply technological advances to reduce risks and improve economic efficiency. This is also a long-term solution to protect livestock, stabilize food supply, and develop sustainable livestock farming.

However, there are still many challenges in developing safe livestock farming in Điện Biên. Most households still follow old practices and are not keen on applying new techniques; over 95% of farms are small-scale and free-range. According to the Department of Agriculture, most ASF outbreaks occur in small traditional farms, while biosecurity farms rarely experience diseases. From July 27 to August 4, ASF occurred in 216 households across 76 villages, with 910 pigs infected and culled, totaling 37,166 kg.

Additionally, some people are still unaware of disease prevention, and the slaughtering and sale of sick pigs still occur, especially in remote areas. The veterinary system in some localities, after administrative unit consolidation, lacks manpower, equipment, and funding to effectively monitor disease outbreaks.

In response to these difficulties, the provincial authorities have set a long-term roadmap for developing safe livestock farming. In the short term, the focus will be on proactive disease management and strict control of rebreeding. Increased propaganda and training for residents on the risks, symptoms, and prevention methods of diseases will be carried out. Through the agricultural extension and local veterinary systems, people will be guided on farm sanitation, disinfection, and regular cleaning of facilities, and instructed on the “5 No’s” in disease prevention: Do not hide diseases, do not buy and sell sick pigs, do not transport dead pigs, do not dispose of pig carcasses indiscriminately, and do not use untreated food.

One long-term solution is transitioning from small-scale farming to linked cooperative or cooperative group models, creating a foundation for market access and the application of new techniques. The development of safe and efficient livestock farming is not only a response to diseases but also an inevitable path to increasing income, improving the livelihoods of farmers, and building a sustainable agricultural foundation.