One Health, from the Reef to the Rice Field

Coastal and marine health connects ecosystem integrity with food security, livelihoods, exposure to pollutants, antimicrobial resistance, climate-related risks and the health of wildlife and people. Research also shows that marine dimensions remain underrepresented in One Health practice. OHH-WIO can help address this gap by connecting reef, coastal, watershed, and community health rather than treating the ocean as a separate environmental issue.

Terrestrial biodiversity and One Health

The relationship between biodiversity and disease is complex and should not be reduced to the claim that wildlife itself is a threat. Evidence indicates that human-driven habitat disturbance and biodiversity loss can favor certain competent host species and alter contact patterns among wildlife, domestic animals and people. Conservation, restoration and land-use governance therefore belong within prevention strategies, alongside careful ecological and epidemiological assessment.

Zoonotic pathogens and integrated surveillance

Zoonotic risk is shaped by pathogen, host, environmental, and human-behavior factors. Integrated surveillance should combine field ecology, animal and public-health information, laboratory methods and locally governed data. Research in Madagascar’s lemurs demonstrates the relevance of non-targeted molecular approaches for detecting previously unrecognized parasites, while wider evidence shows how metagenomics can support surveillance of known and unknown organisms. Detection must be linked to risk interpretation, response capacity and ethical communication; identifying a microorganism does not by itself establish human-health risk.

Public health and One Health implementation

One Health becomes meaningful when institutions share objectives, information, responsibility and learning across sectors. Public-health value therefore depends not only on research but also on governance, preparedness, food and water safety, antimicrobial-resistance action, community participation, workforce capacity and evaluation. The website should present OHH-WIO as a connector and implementation partner, not as a substitute for public authorities or established health services.

Science-policy interface and global implementation

The science-policy interface is where interdisciplinary evidence, implementation experience, community knowledge and political choices meet. The Quadripartite partnership of FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH provides a global framework for coordinated One Health action across human, animal, plant and ecosystem health. Its Joint Plan of Action and national implementation guide emphasize governance, policy, legislation, financing, advocacy, multisectoral coordination, implementation and learning. The implementation period has been extended through 2029, alongside renewed institutional collaboration through 2030.

Evidence use principle

Public-facing claims should be proportionate to the available evidence. OHH-WIO should distinguish clearly between established findings, context-specific observations, organizational priorities and results generated by its own activities. Future project pages should state the question addressed, methods used, partners involved, safeguards applied, outputs produced and limitations identified.