Grenada has strengthened its capacity to prevent, detect and respond to African Swine Fever (ASF) following a national sample collection and surveillance training exercise, according to the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), which reported the activity from St. George's.
The training was funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and forms part of wider regional efforts to keep African Swine Fever out of the Eastern Caribbean. The disease affects pigs and has no approved vaccine, so early detection and rapid response are central to protecting livestock and the farmers who depend on them.
The exercise focused on the practical steps needed to collect and handle samples correctly, an essential part of surveillance. Accurate sampling allows animal health officials to confirm or rule out the disease quickly, which in turn determines how quickly movement controls and other measures can be applied if a suspected case appears.
Regional surveillance is a key part of the approach. Because animals, animal products and people move easily across Caribbean islands, a case in one territory can threaten neighbouring countries. Strengthening national capacity in each island is therefore seen as a shared responsibility rather than a purely national concern.
The training is an important step for Grenada's agricultural sector, where pig farming contributes to household food security and local income. Officials and producers are encouraged to report unusual illness or deaths in pigs promptly so that any suspected case can be investigated without delay.
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