A social network analysis on the epidemiology of porcine Rotavirus A in Davao City /
Ella Angeline B. Vaquilar; Pedro A. Alviola IV, adviser
- 2017
- 69 leaves
Confidential
Thesis (BS Agribusiness Economics) -- University of the Philippines Mindanao, June 2017
Pork is considered to have one of the highest meat consumption in the world. Davao City, smallholder farmers make up the majority of pork producers. However, they are also the most vulnerable to swine diseases. Rotavirus A. (RVA) is a virus that causes pig indigestion which can cause reduced weight. The pig growers in Davao City can potentially influence the spread of the virus through farm management practices and information sharing with other growers, with input suppliers, and with buyers. The social network analysis (SNA) was used to understand how the connections of the growers, input suppliers, and buyers affect the spread of RVA. A survey questionnaire was used to gather data in the districts of Calina, Toril , Bunawan, Tugbok. The NodeXL BasicSoftware was used to visualize the networks. The results showed that the social network of the growers with other growers in Davao City are not well-connected and are dominated by directed and weak ties. Moreover, the low degree of centrality, low network density and high network diameter per district suggest a poor likelihood of viral spread. Farms affected with RVA were also not well-connected. However, Bunawan appears to have the strongest network in terms of number, relationship ties, and engagement ties. Furthermore, the wholesale market, the most common type of input supplier, could have an influence on the management practices of growers while, the individual buyers, the most common type of buyer, could have an influence on the quality of the pigs, such as weight. These findings suggest that the social network of backyard farmers in the City as whole may not influence the spread of diseases. However, network within the district or barangay should be further explored in future studies.