In an era of global challenges – ranging from food insecurity to climate change – the need for an integrated approach to health has never been more urgent. Recognizing this, the European Commission sought guidance from the Scientific Advice Mechanism (SAM) in 2023 to explore ways to embed the One Health approach into EU governance. In response, the Group of Chief Scientific Advisors published a set of
policy recommendations in November 2024, informed by the SAPEA (Science Advice for Policy by European Academies) report,
One Health Governance in the European Union.
This landmark report, although focused on the EU context, offers insights with global relevance. It highlights how One Health – by integrating human, animal, and ecosystem health – can be a transformative force in agrifood system governance. For FAO, these findings present a timely opportunity to strengthen its leadership in advancing One Health as a core pillar of sustainable agrifood systems worldwide.
One Health in agrifood systems: From concept to action
The SAPEA report identifies food safety, food security, and agriculture as key areas where One Health can drive meaningful regulatory change. One of its key takeaways is that the
EU’s Farm to Fork Strategy – the policy framework aimed at making European agrifood systems more sustainable – stands to benefit significantly from deeper One Health integration. The report calls for a review of the EU’s legal and policy instruments, including the Common Agricultural Policy, to ensure they align with the One Health approach.
This underscores a critical question: what does it mean to operationalize One Health in agrifood systems? The answer lies in recognizing the deep interconnections between human, animal, and ecosystem health. Agrifood systems are at the heart of these relationships, influencing and being influenced by multiple drivers – ranging from biodiversity loss to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). A systematic and coherent One Health framework is essential to managing these complexities and ensuring agrifood systems are resilient, sustainable, and equitable.
FAO’s expanding role in One Health
FAO’s long-standing engagement with One Health has historically focused on
zoonotic diseases,
food safety, and
AMR. However, a significant shift occurred in 2021 when the One Health High-Level Expert Panel (OHHLEP) adopted an updated definition of One Health, broadening its scope to encompass health systems and sustainability-oriented approaches. This provided FAO with an opportunity to position One Health at the core of agrifood system transformation.
The recently published
Evaluation of FAO’s Programme Priority Area on One Health (2010-2023) reinforces this shift, highlighting the need to enlarging the scope or potential of One Health to harness and mobilize the full multidisciplinary capacities, knowledge and skills within FAO. Beyond disease prevention, this means addressing biodiversity conservation, soil health, animal welfare, social justice, and food and nutrition security. FAO is uniquely positioned to drive this agenda forward, ensuring that One Health becomes a guiding principle in national and regional agri-food policies and legislation.
From vision to implementation: The path forward
FAO’s Strategic Framework 2022-2031 has already laid the groundwork for expanding One Health across its Four Betters – better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life. However, achieving cross-sectoral integration requires institutional alignment and a multidisciplinary strategy that extends beyond FAO to its global partners. The recent recommendation from COAG (FAO Committee on Agriculture) for FAO to develop a
policy framework on One Health in agrifood systems is a significant step in this direction.
FAO has played a pivotal role in shaping the One Health approach over the past decades, but now agri-food policies and legislation are emerging as critical entry points for embedding One Health into global governance. As FAO continues to lead this effort, it must work to develop a comprehensive theoretical and practical framework that guides countries in integrating One Health into their agrifood systems. The goal? Stronger laws, better policies, and institutional settings drive the transition to sustainable, resilient, and equitable agrifood systems worldwide.
The time for action is now. One Health must move from concept to implementation – ensuring that the health of people, animals, and ecosystems is at the heart of agri-food system transformation.
