One Health economic analysis toolkit for assessing the return on investment in the livestock sector

One Health investments are based on interdisciplinary assessments and multistakeholder partnerships. They play a significant role in managing zoonotic diseases and AMR by strengthening surveillance, prevention and control measures, thereby helping to reduce the risk of diseases spilling over to humans and potentially becoming epidemics or pandemics. One Health investments also support environmental sustainability by reducing the negative spillovers of human activities on soil, water and air quality, as well as on biodiversity.

However, the quantification of the return on investment (ROI) of One Health investments in the livestock sector remains a significant challenge, given the absence of a standard methodology to assess their financial, economic and societal benefits.

Given the trend that many low- and middle-income countries are increasing their investments in livestock, FAO has developed a toolkit for the economic analysis of One Health investments with a specific focus on the ROI in the livestock sector. 

The toolkit enables the integration of a One Health approach to de-risk livestock investments. It can serve national livestock master planning processes or distinct livestock value chains, supporting decision makers in evaluating the true return on One Health investments.

Positive impacts of One Health investments

IMPACT: A world better able to prevent, predict, detect, and respond to health threats and improve the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment while contributing to sustainable development.

LONG-TERM OUTCOMES: Improved health of humans, animals, plants and the environment while identifying sustainable system-wide One Health solutions that allow our ecosystems to thrive in harmony.