Validation and adoption of the One Health Policy Brief is crucial to advocate for increased One Health investment in Tanzania.

The Tanzania One Health Section with the support of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) through its Emergency Centre for Transboundary Animal Diseases (ECTAD), has taken a vital step in advocating for increased- government and partner investment in the implementation of Tanzania’s One Health Strategic Plan 2022-2027. Stakeholders, including the Prime Minister’s Office (One Health Section), Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Sokoine University of Agriculture among others, met in Morogoro for a two-day workshop, 18^th and 19^th March, to review, validate, and adopt a One Health policy brief. The workshop was supported by FAO’s Sustainable One Health operationalization in Africa region project funded by the US Defense Threats Reduction Agency (DTRA). The project aims to contribute to countries’ stewardship responsibility in operationalizing One Health 

The adoption of the policy brief marks a significant milestone to support the implementation of the National One Health Strategic Plan (2022-2027). The policy recommendations are:

• Increase domestic financial resource to support One Health implementation and coordination at all levels;
• Review the National Disaster Management Policy of 2004 to incorporate One Health key components to guide sector specific policies on issues related to One Health;
• Establish a unified system to map multisectoral human resources in different sectors and assess

how they can be utilized for OH interventions at all levels;

• Conduct policy dialogues among policy and decision makers at national and sub-national levels
• Increase awareness on OH approach; and
• Implement the One Health monitoring and evaluation framework as per the National One Health Strategic Plan 2022-2027.

Additional investment in the implementation of a One Health approach will help to strengthen soil, plant, veterinary, public health systems in order to be better prepare for, as well as prevent and control threats arising at ecosystems, animal and human.

Tanzania’s One Health approach began in 2006-2007, following the outbreak of Rift Valley fever. Since then, the country has made substantial progress in operationalizing the approach, culminating in the official launch of the National One Health Agenda in 2013. A National One Health Strategic Plan (2015-2020) was developed in 2015 and later revised in 2022. These efforts led to the establishment of the One Health Section (OHS) within the Disaster Management Department of the Prime Minister’s Office, responsible for coordinating all One Health activities in the country.

To assess a potential benefit of the One Health approach, a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis was conducted in 2022, demonstrating its monetary value compared to a sectoral approach. Additionally, a country wide One Health profile conducted in 2023 highlighted the progress made in governance and implementation, while also identifying gaps, including limited domestic funding for sustaining and scaling up One Health interventions.

FAO remains committed to supporting Tanzania in implementing the National One Health Strategic Plan (2022–2027) and recognizes the importance of continued investment and multisectoral collaboration to ensure its successful implementation for the benefit of human, animal, and environmental health. 

For more information or media inquiries, please contact: 

Alice Maro

National Communications Consultant

FAO Tanzania

Email: [email protected]  

Yanira Santana

Emergency Reporting and Outreach Specialist

Bureau FAO ECTAD Africa

Email : [email protected]