Keeping pigs healthy with storytelling and mobile phones in rural Uganda

Smallholder pig farmers in low-income countries face many challenges, including infectious diseases such as African swine fever (ASF). Outbreaks of ASF can destroy entire herds, undermine livelihoods, and make it hard for communities to recover. Limited access to animal health professionals for advice and to practical information about how diseases can be prevented makes it hard for smallholders to be proactive about livestock disease. For ASF there is no vaccine or treatment, the steps farmers can take to keep their pigs healthy and prevent disease spread includes to prevent direct and indirect contacts between pigs through improved biosecurity. 

In this study, implemented in rural Uganda, researchers wanted to find a creative, low-cost way to help farmers learn and apply better biosecurity practices. In this context poverty and marginalisation is high, and access to animal health advice extremely limited, but most smallholders have access to a mobile phone. Instead of sending trainers or producing printed manuals, we used a drama-based mobile learning approach—essentially turning education into an engaging story people could listen to whenever they wanted on their phones.

Learning through drama

The researchers designed short, story-style audios that followed fictional farmers learning about ASF and dealing with common biosecurity problems: how to isolate sick pigs, keep clean pens, and provide healthy and pathogen free food for the pigs. The audios were delivered via free calls from mobile phones, making them easy to access even in rural areas.

Unlike traditional lectures, these dramas used humour, local language, and relatable characters. This made it easy for farmers to imagine the situations described, and thus better grasp how to deal with ASF in their contexts. The researchers wanted to see whether this method was usable, if farmers liked it and if it had potential to change farmers’ practices around pig health.

Results: Big impact for a small investment

The researchers found that the mobile phone delivered drama on ASF security was successful in terms of that:

• Farmers understood key biosecurity concepts after listening to the audios.
• Many said they felt more confident about preventing disease on their farms.
• Many told they had changed something in how they handled their pigs
• The stories made the information relatable, memorable and enjoyable, promoting engagement.
• Because the lessons were delivered through mobile phones, the approach was affordable and easy to scale up.

Why it matters

This study shows that storytelling in the form of short dramas can be a powerful educational tool, even when concerning scientific or technical topics like animal health. Making use of accessible technology (mobile phones) to disseminate culturally appropriate and practical advice, the program helped farmers learn in a way that fit their daily lives.

We suggest that this “drama-based virtual learning” model could be adapted to other farming sectors or public health issues. It’s a novel example of how simple, creative communication can lead to meaningful change in rural communities.

More information

Link to the publication: https://rdcu.be/eJJoi

Researchers in this study:
Erika Chenais^1,2 erika.chenais@sva.se
Klara Fischer²
Richard Kagolobya³
Michel Dione⁴
Karl Ståhl¹
Susanna Sternberg-Lewerin²

¹Swedish Veterinary Agency, Uppsala, Sweden 
²Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden 
³Department of Performing Arts and Film, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda 
⁴International Livestock Research Institute, Dakar, Senegal