One Health initiative monitors wildlife farming in Thai Nguyen

Within the framework of CGIAR’s Sustainable Animal and Aquaculture Food (SAAF) Program, the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in collaboration with Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry (TUAF), organized a workshop on wildlife farming management and zoonotic diseases for stakeholders and value chain participants in Thai Nguyen province. The workshop aimed to strengthen the management capacity of captive wildlife in the province and reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

The workshop saw the participation of nearly 40 delegates from the Veterinary Institute, the Livestock Research Institute, Thai Nguyen Forest Protection Department, the Department of Livestock, Veterinary and Aquaculture, the Center for Disease Control, project partners, and representatives of wildlife farming households in Thai Nguyen province.

During the workshop, participants discussed current regulations and best practices in wildlife farming to ensure biosecurity, prevent, and control zoonotic diseases. They also identified wildlife supply chains and priority diseases, and assessed value chains and high-risk points that require monitoring.

Thai Nguyen has nearly 40,000 captive wildlife animals

According to the Thai Nguyen Forest Protection Department, the province currently has 475 wildlife farming facilities, mostly family-run, housing a total of 39,822 animals across 30 species. Endangered and rare wildlife species in Group IIB include 338 facilities with 31,731 animals. Common species include the binturong (1,731 individuals), civet (692), and Group IIB snakes (19,484). Regular wildlife species include 137 facilities with 8,091 animals, such as bamboo rats (2,381), pythons (3,287), and deer (295).

At the workshop, Mr. Nguyen Thai Son, Deputy Head of the Forest Use and Development Division of Thai Nguyen Forest Protection Department, noted that most breeding facilities comply well with legal regulations regarding management, traceability, and record-keeping.

However, some issues remain, including: small-scale ornamental breeding that is not strictly controlled, posing high disease transmission risks; occasional delays in inter-agency coordination; and some facilities failing to strictly follow record-keeping and herd reporting requirements.

In 2025, based on citizen reports, authorities handled 32 violations related to the illegal trade and transport of wildlife.

Looking ahead, the Thai Nguyen Forest Protection Department will continue to advise the Department of Agriculture and Environment to direct relevant authorities and coordinate with commune- and ward-level People’s Committees to inspect and crack down on violations of the Forestry Law, particularly illegal hunting, trading, transporting, breeding, storing, and advertising of wildlife.

Prevent, control infectious diseases through an interdisciplinary approach

Dr. Phan Thi Hong Phuc, Vice Rector of Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, noted that wildlife farming is very different from conventional livestock farming. Facilities raising wildlife must be assigned identification codes for species listed under Group IB, IIB, and the appendices of the CITES Convention.

Building a comprehensive database of breeding facilities in the province, as well as monitoring and supporting disease management, is extremely important. Dr. Phúc recommended that relevant authorities: review and propose additional regulations and technical/biosecurity guidelines; closely monitor disease outbreaks in breeding operations; and strengthen management capacity through training on current regulations and the prevention of zoonotic diseases.

Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry will work closely with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the SAAF project to study and propose solutions for controlling infectious diseases, raising farmers’ awareness, and streamlining traceability processes, thereby enhancing economic efficiency and supporting biodiversity conservation.

SAAF and 2030 vision

Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Regional Director of ILRI Asia, emphasized that maintaining close cooperation and applying a One Health interdisciplinary approach among CGIAR centers and partners in Thai Nguyen through the SAAF Program has generated tangible benefits for the community.

In addition to workshop activities, under the Sustainable Animal and Aquaculture Food (SAAF) Program, ILRI and its partners will conduct an assessment of wildlife livestock farming across Thai Nguyen province. This activity aims to collect data on farming scale, biosecurity conditions, and the risks of disease transmission between animals and humans, providing a basis for proposing appropriate management and intervention solutions in the near future.

The SAAF Program (2025 - 2030) aims to improve the lives and health of people in low- and middle-income countries by sustainably transforming animal- and aquaculture-based food systems toward the development of healthy, nutritious, and environmentally friendly food supply chains.