By Debby Lanta
… As African Swine Fever Wipes Out Years of Hard Work
For many pig farmers in Plateau State, the morning no longer begins with the familiar chorus of grunts echoing across their farms. Instead, it begins with silence, empty pens, and the painful task of counting animals that died overnight.
What was once a thriving business has become a scene of heartbreak after an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF) swept through parts of Jos North and Jos South Local Government Areas, leaving farmers devastated and uncertain about the future.
The disease, which affects only pigs and poses no risk to humans, has no known cure or vaccine. Once it enters a farm, it spreads rapidly through contact with infected pigs, contaminated feed, equipment, faeces, and bodily fluids, often leaving little chance of saving the herd.
For farmers like Tabitha Jahota, owner of Shikrit Farms in Kwata Zawan, the outbreak has wiped away years of investment in just a few days.
Standing beside nearly empty pig pens, she recalled how the disease ravaged her farm.
“I lost more than 55 pigs,” she said quietly. “Thirty-three of them were pregnant.”
Behind those figures lies more than livestock. Each pregnant sow represented future income, expansion plans, school fees, household expenses, and the hope of rebuilding after previous economic hardships. Their deaths mean that recovery will not simply take months—it could take years.
The story is no different at Shampel’s Farm in Sabon-Barki.
Owner Solomon Layil said his farm once housed more than 20 pigs. Today, only four remain.
“Before the outbreak, we had over 20 pigs, but now only four are left,” he lamented. “Even those remaining may not survive.”
His words reflect the uncertainty hanging over many livestock farmers across Plateau. Every surviving pig now carries both hope and fear—hope that it will live, and fear that it could be the next victim.
At Gloria Farm in Diye Zarmaganda, owner Raphael Ndong described the outbreak as one of the darkest moments in his years of farming.
He said the farm is counting losses worth millions of naira, with years of breeding, feeding, veterinary care, and infrastructure investment disappearing almost overnight.
For many of these farmers, pig farming is not a side business. It is the family’s primary source of livelihood, supporting children’s education, healthcare, and daily living expenses. Losing dozens of animals means losing financial security.
Recognising the scale of the crisis, officials from the Plateau State Ministry of Livestock Development, Veterinary Services and Fisheries visited affected farms to assess the damage and begin emergency response measures.
The team, led by the Director of Veterinary Services and Chief Veterinary Officer through the State Veterinary Epidemiologist, Dr. Ayuba Haruna, carried out fumigation and disinfection of affected farms to contain further spread of the virus.
According to Dr. Haruna, the outbreak was reported in early July, by which time it had already caused significant destruction on several farms.
He explained that the government’s immediate priority is to stop the disease from spreading to unaffected farms while gathering accurate information on the scale of the losses.
Beyond emergency intervention, he urged livestock farmers to promptly report unusual illnesses among their animals instead of waiting until the situation worsens.
Early reporting, he noted, gives veterinary officers a better chance of containing outbreaks before they spread across communities.
He also encouraged farmers to register their farms with the ministry, explaining that proper records would enable government agencies to respond more effectively during disease outbreaks and other emergencies.
While the farmers welcomed the government’s swift response, many believe disinfection alone will not restore what they have lost.
Several appealed for financial assistance, replacement piglets, or soft agricultural support packages that would enable them to rebuild their businesses.
Without such intervention, many fear they may never return to pig farming.
The impact extends beyond the farms.
At the Jos Main Abattoir, where pig traders and processors depend on a steady supply of healthy animals, the outbreak has disrupted business activities.
Chairman of the Pig Butchers Association, Bulus Awiye, said the disease has affected not only farmers but also processors and marketers.
Many pigs kept at the lairage were infected, resulting in heavy losses and disrupting meat supply.
According to him, the outbreak has also created a glut in the market, leaving businesses struggling to recover.
He appealed to the government to extend support beyond the farms to include butchers and processors whose livelihoods have also suffered.
The African Swine Fever outbreak serves as another reminder of how vulnerable livestock farmers remain to diseases that can erase years of investment within days.
Unlike crop farming, where damaged fields may be replanted within a season, rebuilding a pig herd requires significant time, capital, and careful breeding. Farmers who lose pregnant sows face an even longer journey back to profitability.
For now, many of Plateau’s pig farmers are focused not on expansion but on survival.
As veterinary teams continue disinfection exercises and surveillance across affected communities, hope rests on preventing further infections while providing the support needed for recovery.
Behind every statistic released during disease outbreaks are families whose dreams have been interrupted—families now wondering how to pay school fees, repay loans, and rebuild businesses that once promised stability.
The empty pig pens scattered across Plateau are more than evidence of a livestock disease. They are silent reminders of livelihoods lost, resilience tested, and the urgent need for coordinated support to help farming communities stand on their feet once again.
