The value of investing in One Health to transform the dairy sector in Kenya and Senegal

Growing momentum around the One Health approach is reshaping how countries plan and finance agrifood system transformation. As governments confront increasingly complex health, food safety, and environmental challenges, reliance on external funding alone is no longer enough. Strengthening domestic resource allocation, diversifying financing sources, and expanding innovative co-investment models has become essential for long-term sustainability. 

To support this shift, the One Health investment planning and leverage initiative, funded by the Gates Foundation, has been helping countries structure, prioritize, cost, and mobilize investments that reinforce a One Health approach to national health systems. Starting in 2023, the initiative has supported One Health platforms in Kenya and Senegal through a stepwise approach grounded in national assessments (JEE, PVS, NBW, FSA) and existing strategies. The methodology has been adapted in Bangladesh, Bhutan and Sri Lanka with the World Bank. 

A cornerstone of the approach is the participatory identification of national priorities and co-development of investment cases backed by economic and financial analyses that quantify costs, returns, and co-benefits across human, animal, and environmental health. This evidence strengthens the One Health value proposition and helps de-risk investments, increasing their attractiveness to domestic, private sector and external partners. 
Through a country-driven prioritization exercise, Kenya and Senegal identified five areas for investment. FAO has supported investment leverage for each of these cases, including via the Pandemic Fund and linkages to national and international sources. Most recently, to demonstrate the value of investing in a One Health and food safety approach in an expanding dairy industry, a deep dive using new methodology and tools was conducted to show the return on investment. 

 
National validation workshops show results on the return of investment  

This work culminated in national validation workshops in Nairobi and Dakar, which convened government representatives, technical experts, private-sector, and development partners to validate the economic findings of the dairy investment cases, identify partnership opportunities, and collectively plan next steps toward investment leverage practical solutions to integrate a One Health approach. 

Why dairy? A shared national priority 

The dairy value chain was selected due to its central role in a growing commercial sector for national economic development, livelihoods, food and nutrition security and women’s and youth empowerment, and national economic development. Despite its strong potential, dairy systems in both countries face persistent constraints, including low productivity, recurring endemic, zoonotic and foodborne disease risks, weak food safety compliance, limited veterinary service coverage, and environmental pressures that threaten long-term sustainability.  

Addressing these challenges requires integrated investments capable of delivering measurable economic, public health, and environmental returns – while reducing risk for future investments. 

Kenya: de-risking livestock investments  

©FAO/Paola di Tommaso

©FAO/Paola di Tommaso

Stakeholders reviewed results from the Kajiado dairy investment case, supported by economic and financial analysis. Evidence shows that strengthening animal health, food safety, and veterinary services across the dairy value chain can deliver substantial returns on investment. 

Specifically, the analysis assessed:  

• Productivity gains attributable to improved animal health and expanded veterinary service coverage to the "last mile"  
• Public health benefits from reduced zoonotic disease risks  
• Environmental impacts  
• Economic and financial returns across the dairy value chain 

Participants emphasized that investing in the dairy sector in Kajiado – located near high-demand markets in Nairobi and satellite towns – offers a strategic opportunity to improve livelihoods and bolster national food safety and health security. Productivity constraints, food safety challenges, and limited market access continue to restrict value chain performance, limiting opportunities and potential sector gains. 

Kenya has committed to investing in the sector as part of the upcoming annual work planning cycle, while FAO will work on integrating elements into ongoing projects to develop the value chain.   

Kenya is now moving into a new phase of partner engagement and investment leverage, positioning the Kajiado dairy case as a flagship opportunity ahead of a national partner roundtable planned for 2026.

Senegal: advancing dairy transformation  

©FAO/Paola di Tommaso

©FAO/Paola di Tommaso

The Ferlo dairy investment case workshop analysed its significant potential to improve food safety, nutrition, and rural livelihoods in a key pastoral region.  

“The dairy sector is a priority sector for Senegal,” the Minister of Agriculture underscored while opening the workshop. “Building on the urgency to modernize, diversify, and localize dairy production, this workshop will explore how a systemic approach can guide more judicious investment decisions. The goal is to provide evidence showing that investment in the dairy value chain is not only economic, but also social, environmental, and intergenerational – helping attract a wider pool of investors.” 

In this workshop organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and FAO, and with the support of the Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD), stakeholders from across government sectors, the private sector and civil society, validated the economic analysis applying impact mapping tools. Participants identified initiatives and potential financing partners that could be leveraged during implementation with a view to an investment roundtable in 2026. 

Embedding a One Health approach as a foundation for scaling and investment and derisking mobilization 

Progress in both Kenya and Senegal adds to the growing body of evidence demonstrating that One Health investment planning can drive agrifood system transformation, strengthen rural livelihoods, enhance food sovereignty, and safeguard environmental and public health. 

Across the two countries, the validation workshops reinforced that One Health is a strategic investment framework capable of delivering measurable returns. Integrated OH investments: 

• Improve livestock productivity and value chain performance 
• Enhance food safety and reduce public health risks 
• Strengthen resilience and sustainability of agrifood systems 
• Enable better preparedness for disease outbreaks and other emerging threats   
• De-risk larger public and private investments 

Lessons learned included the need to engage the private sector to review the incentives put in place to improve animal health and standards across the value chain to boost the economy, whilst at the same time safeguarding the environment. 

As a key step, the national and county government are now better equipped with validated evidence to demonstrate clear returns and work towards increased investments and an engagement roadmap ahead of the partner roundtables. 

These investment planning models can also be adapted to other value chains – such as poultry or fisheries – where multisectoral benefits and risk reduction are equally critical, as well as replicated in different regions and countries. 

As countries navigate complex financing landscapes, evidence-based One Health investment planning offers a powerful tool to mobilize domestic resources, incentivise the private sector reduce dependency on external funding, and build healthier, more resilient agrifood systems.