Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Director-General QU Dongyu opened the Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems today highlighting the close interconnections between agriculture and the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems.
“One Health is a farmer’s agenda, a scientist’s agenda, and a Minister’s agenda,” he said.
These connections crosscut a number of government ministries and require all stakeholders to work together in an efficient, effective and coherent manner, the Director-General explained.
Degraded soil can weaken crops and animal feed, while poor water quality can spread pathogens between animals and people. He also noted that pests and diseases destroy an estimated 20 to 40 percent of global crop production every year, illustrating the consequences that threats to plant health can have for food security.
Such challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. One Health recognizes that the health of people, animals, plants and ecosystems is closely interconnected and that tackling risks such as emerging diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change and food safety requires different sectors to work together.
Bringing these sectors together is a central aim of the conference being held at FAO’s Rome headquarters. The aim is to help countries move from dialogue to practical action. Discussions will focus on strengthening cooperation, sharing knowledge and identifying priority actions and investment opportunities to make agrifood systems healthier and more resilient.
“This event brings together High-Level Government Representatives, with scientists, farmers, Indigenous Peoples, youth and civil society from around the world – this diversity is the very essence of One Health” emphasized Qu.
The opening session was attended by Mwigulu Lameck Nchemba, Prime Minister of the United Republic of Tanzania, alongside ministers responsible for agriculture, health, livestock, fisheries and the environment.
The high-level segment featured Djuro Macut, Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, and Guy Parmelin, President of the Swiss Confederation, both of whom delivered video messages.
Ministerial participants included Abdul Awal Mintoo, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Annie Genevard, Minister of Agriculture of the French Republic; Martin Heydon, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine of Ireland; Yu-Kyoung Oh, Minister of Food and Drug Safety of the Republic of Korea (video message); and Mustapha Ferjani, Minister of Public Health of the Republic of Tunisia.
Other senior government representatives included XIA Gang, Deputy Director General of the China National Disease Prevention and Control Administration.
New online hub to turn knowledge into action
Putting One Health into practice also requires better access to information. To support this effort, FAO launched the Sustainable Livestock Transformation and One Health Intelligence & Knowledge Hub, a global online platform that brings together livestock data, analytical tools, knowledge and information on FAO’s activities in one place.
Designed as a single gateway to livestock information, the Hub provides access to data through dashboards organized by theme and geographic area. Users can explore information on livestock production, animal health risks, antimicrobial resistance, climate and environmental interactions, and related economic and social issues.
The platform also features a Livestock AI Assistant to help users navigate information and tools across different areas of FAO’s livestock work.
By allowing users to explore and combine information from different sources, the Hub aims to strengthen early warning and preparedness and support decisions based on evidence. It also provides access to FAO’s livestock-related projects, knowledge and expertise at country, regional and global levels, helping connect available information with action on the ground.
Together, these resources are intended to provide a stronger evidence base for policies, investments and strategic planning, supporting the transition towards more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.
Bringing One Health into practice
Also today, FAO together with the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) and the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) presented the Global framework to accelerate action on avian influenza. Its aim is to address avian influenza threats, outline joint goals and the areas of collaboration among the four organizations on avian influenza in areas of animal and public health, and protect wildlife.
The conference continues through 23 September, with government representatives, scientists, farmers and other partners exchanging experiences and exploring opportunities for cooperation and investment to put One Health into practice.
The conference also builds on FAO’s work to develop a One Health in Agrifood Systems Framework. Requested by the Organization’s Committee on Agriculture in 2024, the framework is intended to provide countries with practical guidance for integrating One Health into policies, investments and programmes.
