ILRI scientists and research collaborators use a One Health approach to study zoonotic disease risks in wildlife farming in Vietnam

In Vietnam, wildlife farming is an important socio-economic activity, contributing to food, nutrition and income.

Despite these benefits, however, wildlife from natural or captive conditions might be the reservoir of zoonotic pathogens, posing a risk to human health.

Human encroachment on wildlife habitats can also exacerbate the rising threat of zoonotic pandemics.

One Health—a multidisciplinary approach that recognises the interconnectedness of human, animal and environment health—is therefore a useful approach to effectively manage zoonotic diseases.

The CGIAR Initiative on One Health aims to demonstrate how One Health principles and tools integrated into food systems can help reduce and contain zoonotic disease outbreaks, improve food and water safety and reduce antimicrobial resistance, benefiting human, animal and environment health.

The initiative is being implemented in Bangladesh, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Uganda and Vietnam.

In Vietnam, researchers are using a One Health approach to study wildlife value chains and assess the risk of transmission of zoonotic diseases in Dong Nai and Lao Cai provinces.

The study findings will strengthen disease surveillance and control measures.

The study in Vietnam is co-implemented by the International Livestock Research Institute, the International Food Policy Research Institute, the National Institute of Veterinary Research, Hanoi University of Public Health, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Vietnam One Health Partnership for Zoonoses, and the provincial authorities of Lao Cai, Hanoi, Thai Nguyen, Hue, Dong Nai and Can Tho.

Read more about this work on the CGIAR website: A One Health approach to tackling zoonotic disease risks in wildlife farming in Vietnam by Chi Nguyen, Ha Nguyen, Sinh Dang and Hung Nguyen.

Photo: A civet is kept on farm in Thai Nguyen Province, Vietnam for consumption (ILRI/Vu Ngoc Dung)