Mind the gaps: Strengthening the foundations of One Health

One Health recognizes and is now central to addressing today’s complex health challenges. From zoonotic diseases and antimicrobial resistance, biodiversity loss, pollution-linked health risks to climate-driven pest outbreaks, the need for coordinated, cross-sectoral solutions is widely acknowledged.

Yet translating One Health into effective, real-world action can be difficult. Across countries and institutions, three persistent barriers slow progress: information gaps, knowledge gaps, and evidence gaps. These are not abstract shortcomings – they shape how effectively we can prevent, detect, and manage health risks.

To help bridge these divides, FAO, UNEP, WHO and WOAH launched the One Health Knowledge Nexus in 2023. Through its thematic Communities of Practice (CoPs), the Nexus connects professionals worldwide to share experience, generate evidence, and co-develop tools and guidelines. Their work sheds light on where these gaps persist – and how they can be closed.

The information gap: Fragmented data, disconnected systems

Reliable information is the backbone of One Health. But while vast amounts of data are generated every day – on animal diseases, plant health, antimicrobial use, water quality, diets, trade, and more – they still sometimes exist in isolated systems – varying standards and platforms that do not always communicate seamlessly.

This fragmentation creates blind spots. Early warning signs of disease or environmental stress may be visible in one sector but missed in another. Opportunities for coordinated response can be lost, and valuable insights remain underused. Continuing to build bridges between silos remains a key priority to unlock the full potential of integrated, cross-sectoral data for better prevention and management of health risks.

Efforts within the OHKN show how this can change. Experts working on information and communication technologies are discussing and sharing frameworks, guidelines and digital tools and interoperable data platforms to connect animal, human, and environment health information. These innovations demonstrate how improved data sharing can transform fragmented datasets into actionable intelligence, supporting faster and more coordinated responses.

Many countries are strengthening their One Health information systems to support cross-sectoral decision-making. Yet, the wide range of existing ICT tools, from software, mobile applications, databases, and alert systems, remain scattered and often unknown for others facing similar challenges. The Community of Practice on Information and Communication Technologies for One Health aims to bridge this gap by compiling an inventory of One Health ICT tools, to help improve the understanding of factors that predispose diseases and pest emergence along the advisable way of resource investment for health promotion and governance.

The knowledge gap: From shared concepts to shared practice

Awareness and uptake of One Health have advanced significantly in recent years. Many professionals are no longer operating in isolation – veterinarians, environmental specialists, agricultural officers and public health experts are increasingly finding ways to coordinate efforts and share insights. Yet gaps in practical implementation remain, particularly in translating conceptual alignment into consistent joint action and decision-making on the ground.

Progress has been made, but knowledge still does not always flow where it is needed most. In many contexts, local and traditional knowledge on animal, human, plant and ecosystem health remains underutilized or insufficiently integrated into national policy frameworks, limiting the full potential of context-specific solutions.

Bridging this divide requires a stronger culture of shared learning and co-creation. Within the CoPs, members collaborate to turn abstract principles into practical tools. For example, specialists in animal production and health, AMR, and other experts contributed to developing the FARM 5G Checklist – an assessment tool that helps farmers and extension workers identify good practices and areas for improvement. Such tools empower local actors to apply One Health thinking in daily operations, making the approach tangible rather than theoretical.

Other CoPs are translating technical expertise into accessible guidance. The Tick Control and Acaricide Resistance CoP, for example, recently developed FAO guidelines on sustainable tick management and acaricide resistance. These materials help countries strengthen livestock health systems and reduce chemical misuse.

Knowledge generation is equally critical for emerging risks. The Community of Practice on Drivers of Emerging Plant and Animal Pests and Diseases brings together experts from fields such as epidemiology,  ecology, and agriculture, to help clarify how drivers – such as land-use change, trade, and climate stressors – interact to create new disease and pest risks. Its work supports countries in identifying and addressing drivers before they escalate into crises – filling an essential gap between observation and prevention.

Closing the knowledge gap means ensuring that integrated thinking leads to integrated practice – from farms and laboratories to classrooms and ministries.

The evidence gap: Proving the value of integration

Even as global consensus around the importance of One Health grows, decision-makers still ask a critical question: What is the measurable return on investment? The evidence gap – a shortage of quantified data showing the social and economic benefits of using integrated approaches to health – continues to hinder long-term funding and policy adoption.

While prevention is widely known to cost less than emergency response, few studies have captured this value in monetary or measurable terms. There is still limited evidence available on how coordination and collaboration on connected health issues in complex system generate monetary returns. Without clear evidence, One Health initiatives may struggle to secure resources compared with single-sector more linear programmes.

Work within the OHKN is beginning to fill this void. Systematic reviews led by experts in the Return on Investment for One Health CoP have analyzed global case studies demonstrating how cross-sectoral action saves lives and reduces costs. The community is leading efforts to enhance methods, capacities and analyses to generate more evidence. These findings provide the economic justification governments need to embed One Health into national budgets and development plans. By linking outcomes to evidence, these efforts turn advocacy into accountability.