One Health Landscape Assessment
The One Health concept emerged from the recognition that ecosystem health, animal health (both wild and domesticated), and human health are allied and interconnected disciplines. Habitat degradation and loss stress wild animal populations, leading to illness. It also compresses wildlife populations, bringing individuals of a species into closer proximity and bringing disparate species into contact, leading to a greater risk of inter-species disease transmission, and ultimately, to spillover into human populations. At the same time, habitat destruction often creates new habitats for species that are disease vectors, for example by opening the forest canopy for agriculture, leading to warmer water temperatures and improving the habitat for mosquitos. Protecting intact and healthy ecosystems is a cost-effective strategy for protection against emerging infectious diseases.
This assessment reviews the current situation regarding One Health in the ASEAN region, beginning with current USAID-supported efforts to combat illegal wildlife trade as a point of departure. It identifies barriers to implementation of a One Health approach, potential champions, and potential points of entry for USAID in advancing biodiversity conservation through a One Health approach.
RDW conducted three separate but interrelated assessments to aid the project in planning future program directions and activities. This One Health Landscape Assessment, the Political Economy Analysis, and the Civil Society and Social Inclusion Assessment aim to provide insight into emerging opportunities to build upon work undertaken in biodiversity conservation in the region, including more than a decade of work to combat wildlife trafficking.
RDW One Health Landscape Assessment.pdf — 2364 KB