India Develops Indigenous Vaccine Against African Swine Fever

India has developed its first indigenous vaccine against African Swine Fever (ASF), marking a major breakthrough in the country’s efforts to combat one of the most devastating diseases affecting pigs.

The announcement was made by Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan during the 98th Foundation Day celebrations of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in New Delhi on Thursday.

The vaccine, named the MA-104 Cell-Based Live Attenuated African Swine Fever Vaccine for Pigs, has been developed by the ICAR–National Institute of High Security Animal Diseases (NIHSAD), Bhopal. According to the minister, the development strengthens India’s preparedness against livestock diseases while advancing self-reliance in animal health through indigenous scientific innovation.

African Swine Fever is a highly contagious viral disease that affects domestic and wild pigs, often resulting in mortality rates approaching 100 per cent. Until now, disease control in India has relied largely on strict biosecurity measures and culling of infected animals. The new vaccine is expected to provide an important tool for preventing outbreaks and protecting the country’s pig population.

With this achievement, India joins Vietnam, which has already licensed and commercialised ASF vaccines. Several other countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, are also evaluating ASF vaccines through clinical trials or emergency approval mechanisms.

Speaking at the event, Chouhan highlighted ICAR’s role in transforming Indian agriculture through research and innovation. He said the organisation developed 386 improved crop varieties across 44 crops during the past year, with 94 per cent of them being climate-resilient and 29 classified as bio-fortified.

The minister stressed the need for demand-driven agricultural research, climate-resilient farming, and greater self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds. He also called for wider dissemination of scientific innovations through the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) network and encouraged ICAR to strengthen its financial sustainability by commercialising technologies, crop varieties, vaccines and licensing initiatives.

Chouhan proposed a target of generating ₹10,000 crore in internal resources by 2029, while assuring continued government support for research and innovation.

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh urged greater outreach through the KVK network to accelerate the transfer of technologies from laboratories to farmers, livestock keepers and fishers. He highlighted the potential of advanced technologies such as sex-sorted semen, artificial insemination, embryo transfer, natural farming, micro-irrigation and nano-fertilisers to improve productivity and increase farmers’ incomes.

Minister of State Bhagirath Choudhary also underscored the importance of science-based research, natural farming and farmer-centric innovations to address climate change, improve soil health and enhance self-reliance in pulses and oilseeds.