Localizing the One Health model from livestock food chains

The component of Agroecology and Safe Food System Transitions (ASSET) project focusing on strengthening food safety within livestock value chains, led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), has over the past three years provided valuable insights for improving local food safety management and policymaking in Viet Nam.

Shifting from ‘Inspection - sanction’ to ‘Co-management’

Beyond technical interventions, ASSET has helped shape a new approach, linking ecological agriculture with the One Health model to build food systems that are safe, sustainable, and culturally grounded.

Speaking with Viet Nam Agriculture and Nature News, Dang Xuan Sinh, ILRI expert and coordinator of the project’s food safety component, said ecological agriculture diversifies management measures while enhancing interaction, inclusiveness, and sustainability across the entire food chain.

Based on the 13 core principles of ecological agriculture, local authorities can design food management policies suited to their region’s natural conditions, culture, ethnicity, and livelihoods. Principles such as participation, co-creation of knowledge, synergy, animal health, and economic diversification form the foundation for linking stakeholders across production, processing, and consumption. This bottom-up model enables local food policies built on practical realities and community strengths.

A key innovation of ASSET’s food safety component lies in its risk-based management approach built on three pillars: risk assessment, risk management, and risk communication. The approach has enabled provinces such as Dien Bien and Son La to design evidence-based, transparent food control programs involving multiple stakeholders. Through training, technical assistance, and close coordination with local governments, officials have begun integrating this method into their routine work, transitioning from “inspection and punishment” to “co-management, support, and shared practice.”

According to Sinh, the most notable breakthrough for replication elsewhere is the proactive participation of food safety authorities. The approach brings together not only the Sub-Departments of Livestock Production, Animal Health, and Fisheries, but also the Sub-Departments of Crop Production and Plant Protection, Food Safety, and Quality and Market Development.

At traditional markets, the project’s pilot interventions have changed perceptions among producers and vendors, from being controlled to being supported. “Our goal is to empower and accompany them, not simply to penalize. When butchers, meat sellers, or vegetable traders receive training and proper equipment, they willingly improve their practices for their reputation and for public health,” Sinh said.

This approach has improved hygiene and safety at slaughterhouses and markets, while also fostering a safer and more trustworthy business environment where authorities, communities, and enterprises share responsibility. As a result, meat and produce are better managed, foodborne risks reduced, and state management more effective.

Localizing the One Health concept

From a broader perspective, ecological agriculture also serves as a bridge to realize the One Health model in Viet Nam’s midland and mountainous regions. “In these areas, we clearly see the benefits of cross-sector collaboration, from veterinary, health, industry, and environment sectors to local authorities and communities, in raising awareness, preventing disease, and protecting both animal and human health,” Dr Sinh noted.

Training, communication, and technical interventions supported by the project have helped local people better understand the links between health, livestock practices, and the environment. This awareness is particularly critical for zoonotic and foodborne diseases, risks often underestimated by smallholder farmers. When people realize that protecting animal health means protecting their own, they become more proactive in disease prevention and early reporting.

Dr Sinh emphasized that ecological agriculture models represent a “localized One Health” because they evolve from the very culture, habits, and livelihoods of local communities. Both approaches share a common goal, placing human and ecosystem health at the center.

From a strategic perspective, Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Regional Director of ILRI Asia and Leader of ILRI Health Program, said the project’s findings and interventions offer strong potential for replication. He praised the ecological agriculture and risk-based food safety management approach, particularly the integration of One Health thinking throughout the food value chain.

“With simple, low-cost interventions, like replacing chopping boards or providing sanitation tools for traditional market vendors, we can significantly reduce Salmonella contamination, bringing tangible public health benefits. This clearly demonstrates the effectiveness of the One Health approach, where small actions along the food chain can create major impacts on health systems, the environment, and livelihoods,” he said.

According to Dr. Hung, quantifying the social and economic savings such as the economic value of reduced contamination, lower use of chemical fertilizers, or reduced livestock emissions, would give policymakers a strong scientific basis for investing in ecological agriculture and food safety initiatives.

He also recommended expanding research to quantify the economic and environmental impacts of these models, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, added value of safe livestock products, and healthcare costs saved through preventing zoonotic diseases.