One Health

Beekeepers using protective gear harvest honey using modern methods in Mafinga, Tanzania

What is One Health?

One Health is an integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably balance and optimize the health of people, animals and ecosystems. It recognizes the health of humans, domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and inter-dependent.

The approach mobilizes multiple sectors, disciplines and communities at varying levels of society to work together to foster well-being and tackle threats to health and ecosystems, while addressing the collective need for clean water, energy and air, safe and nutritious food, taking action on climate change, and contributing to sustainable development. (OHHLEP One Health definition, 2021)

Emerging zoonoses such as Ebola, MERS-CoV and the COVID-19 pandemic, highlight the need for coordinated action across sectors to protect health and prevent disruption to food systems.  

FAO promotes a One Health approach as part of agrifood system transformation for the health of people, animals, plants and the environment. This involves a spectrum of actors and work on sustainable agriculture, animal, crops, forest, and aquaculture health, food safety, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), food security, nutrition and livelihoods. Ensuring a One Health approach is essential for progress to anticipate, prevent, detect and control diseases that spread between animals and humans, tackle AMR, ensure food safety, prevent environment-related human and animal health threats, as well as combatting many other challenges. A One Health approach is also critical for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

FAO works with partners to promote health systemically, in particular, the Quadripartite collaboration, which includes FAO, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH). FAO focuses on eliminating hunger, promoting food security, food safety and healthy diets, preventing and controlling transboundary diseases, zoonoses and AMR, to protect the livelihoods of farmers from the impacts of plant and animal diseases, and to increase the sustainability and resilience of agrifood systems, with One Health benefits. We are one world working together for One Health.

One Health definitions and principles

This document provides definition and key principles of One Health in several languages.

Highlights
Event
Pioneering multi-hazard monitoring for resilient agrifood systems
03/02/2025

FAO and CEFAS, through the One Food for One Health initiative, convened a three-day workshop at FAO headquarters to enhance global multi-hazard monitoring...

Highlights
Pandemic Fund’s third call for proposals: FAO continues supporting countries strengthen pandemic prevention and preparedness through a One Health approach
03/02/2025

The Pandemic Fund has announced its third Call for Proposals, with an envelope of USD 500 million to enhance pandemic preparedness and response...

News
UN Quadripartite puts One Health into practice to equip experts across Europe
16/01/2025

The One Health approach emphasizes the interconnected health of humans, animals, and ecosystems. By fostering collaboration across sectors like agriculture,...

Highlights
Spotlight on Temarama Anguna-Kamana: Championing One Health and Southwest Pacific representation in the CPM Bureau
13/12/2024

Interview with Temarama Anguna-Kamana, the incoming CPM Bureau Representative for the Southwest Pacific, is a key advocate for One Health and capacity...

Highlights
Highlights and challenges shaping the future
12/12/2024

The One Health approach continues to gain traction. In 2024, key advancements were made in addressing pressing global...

© FAO/Alessandra Benedetti
Highlights
Four ways One Health helps in ranking food safety risks
11/12/2024

Food safety is critical to global health, impacting the well-being of humans, animals, and ecosystems. A One Health approach, which connects human,...