“The socio-economic impacts of Avian Influenza surveillance in Southeast Asia.”

Context

Why is it relevant to assess the socio-economic impacts of avian influenza surveillance systems in Southeast Asia?

Animal health surveillance systems are embedded in different socio-economic contexts across the world, possibly resulting in a high diversity in their performances. Indeed, the choices made by individual actors along the surveillance chain will have a great impact on information flow, in terms of quantity and timeliness. Individual choices among animal producers and animal health agents are driven by economic motives but also by social considerations, i.e. resulting from their direct or indirect interaction between them or with other actors as well as from their inclusion in a particular set of social norms. Conversely, the good functioning of surveillance, through the existence of social motives for non-reporting, will cause non-monetary costs to be incurred by the one who contributes faithfully to the surveillance system. Hence, it is of prime importance to understand which socio-economic factors impact this efficacy and efficiency of the animal health surveillance system. The present study addresses the case of avian influenza surveillance in Thailand.

Activities and Results

What are the methods specifically used in your field research activities?

• The participatory epidemiology (PE) is used as a way of data collection on the perception of actors on the surveillance systems and their ways of sharing information. I have received the support of researchers from the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) for my training in participatory methods.
• The economic tools for decision making analysis are integrated in my approach, with the help of the Veterinarian faculty of the University of Liege. One particular tool, the stated choice preference analysis, is being adapted to the topic of surveillance, to assess its effect on the social welfare of actors of poultry production.
• Social Network Analysis (SNA) is used for analyzing the information sharing patterns between actors of poultry production and health management identified in my different field works.

What are your PhD field sites?

Many field studies contribute to my PhD: one in Northern Vietnam and the other one in Northern Thailand. A third study will be implemented soon in two provinces of Southern Vietnam. The idea is to be able to compare how the surveillance systems and the networks of information sharing are setup, adapted and accepted by people in different places with different economic, cultural and political backgrounds.

What are your results so far? Can they contribute to a better management of avian influenza risks?

My first results show that the acceptability of surveillance networks and the information sharing patterns on animal health are closely linked to the structures of poultry production, their economic patterns and cultural specificities. The sanitary practices on the poultry distribution chain and the integration of producers in strong agro-industrial systems strongly influence their information sharing behavior. The economic value attributed to information depending on the development of the poultry production sector, the administrative structure of the state and some cultural specificity such as the tradition of cock fighting have major consequences on the constitution of information sharing networks and the attitude of stakeholders toward the official surveillance. These results could have strong implications on the recommendations to use in the building or strengthening of animal health surveillance systems in Southeast Asia.

Cirad, 22-05-2013