Strengthening One Health initiatives: UK invests in the One Health Knowledge Nexus

The United Kingdom, through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), has committed to a significant investment in the One Health Knowledge Nexus, a collaborative platform aimed at generating and sharing vital knowledge to address complex health challenges.

The initiative, hosted by FAO with the Quadripartite One Health collaboration, offers Communities of Practice that bring together stakeholders from governments, academia, NGOs, international organizations, and the private sector. By fostering knowledge exchange, collaboration on pressing issues such as emerging diseases, antimicrobial resistance or food safety, the One Health Knowledge Nexus stimulates learning and enhanced practice with the aim to inform policymaking, and improve the overall health of people, animals, plants and the environment.

The UK Government’s support for the One Health Knowledge Nexus forms part of the FCDO’s new Animal and Plant Health Innovation and Evidence Delivery (APHID) Platform, which prioritizes the prevention, preparedness, and response to emerging animal and plant health threats. The investment will also promote working with other partners including CABI, a global nonprofit organization that focuses on providing information and scientific expertise to solve problems related to agriculture and the environment, and which contributes to One Health knowledge through databases, research, and publications. CABI recently received an FAO Partnership Award from FAO Director-General QU Dongyu in recognition of their work with FAO to reduce poverty and end hunger.

Through the partnership on the One Health Knowledge Nexus, the UK Government aims to contribute to the development of knowledge and evidence to help countries prevent, identify, and better respond to these health threats.

The One Health Knowledge Nexus will address critical knowledge gaps by:

• Connecting stakeholders: Creating a platform for diverse actors to share expertise and best practices.
• Generating and sharing evidence: Conducting research and analysis to inform practice, policy and decision-making.
• Enhancing learning: Sharing practical resources and promoting knowledge and practice exchange for One Health implementation.
• Advocating for One Health: Raising awareness of the importance of One Health and promoting investment in the field.

By investing in the One Health Knowledge Nexus, the UK Government continues to demonstrate its commitment to global health security and sustainable development. This knowledge and evidence sharing is a crucial means of addressing complex health challenges and building a healthier future for all. It is only by working in partnership on agrifood systems transformation that we can move further towards a world free from poverty on a livable planet.