The role of One Health in sustainable farming and well-being

A movement strengthening relationships between communities and the land and promoting a mutually beneficial relationship between agriculture, health and the environment is emerging in sustainable farming. Ntokozo Zitha, a PhD student in the Economics Analysis Unit at the Agricultural Research Council, writes.

- Ntokozo Zitha

Traditionally dedicated to the wellbeing of humans and animals, the idea of One Health has found a home farming, providing a potential route towards resilient, sustainable living. The image above shows the nexus of One Health.

One Health is a comprehensive approach to community farming in an age where pressing issues such as climate change, the depletion of natural resources and rising rates of disease need creative answers. Farmers are adopting an integrated approach that acknowledges the delicate balance between agricultural practices and the general health of ecosystems, going beyond the traditional division of crops and animals. This method recognises that cattle, crops and the environment are all interdependent and that each one has an impact on the others.

EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES THROUGH KNOWLEDGE

The empowerment of local communities is at the core of this transformation. Through educational programmes on sustainable agriculture, farmers are being given the information and abilities necessary to grow in harmony with the environment. Initiatives such as the adoption of integrated pest management and livestock health programmes and regenerative farming methods that improve soil health are fostering a greater knowledge of the connections between agriculture, human health and the environment.

Initiatives for community-based data gathering and research are essential to this movement. Farmers can identify hazards early on because they actively monitor the state of the environment. Communities can protect their livestock and crops while also enhancing the overall well-being of their ecosystems by working together to recognise and manage hazards.

BENEFITS BEYOND THE HARVEST