The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Investment Centre, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH), has published a new brief examining the long-term added value of investing in One Health, an integrated approach recognizing the connections between human, animal, plant and ecosystem health, according to a press release issued on 25 August 2026. The brief responds to global health threats and their potential economic consequences. The economic costs from zoonotic and other infectious diseases run into billions of US dollars annually. According to World Bank estimates, antimicrobial resistance could lead to a loss of around 3.8% of global gross domestic product by 2050. The publication argues that countries need to invest in new ways to increase preparedness and prevention.
Titled Financial and economic returns to investing in One Health: evidence and future directions, the brief looks at how the approach can reduce disease burdens, health-care costs, environmental contamination and antimicrobial resistance spread. By promoting collaboration across sectors and disciplines, One Health helps maximize the impact of investments while reducing unintended consequences and improving long-term resilience. It is geared for decision-makers, One Health practitioners and financing institutions. The document identifies barriers and opportunities for investing in One Health initiatives and reviews current evidence and knowledge gaps on the returns on investment. It also highlights the institutional and financing mechanisms needed to scale sustainable, cost-effective interventions at all levels, from the community to the global level.
Thanawat Tiensin, FAO Assistant Director-General, Director of FAO’s Animal Production and Health Division and Chief Veterinarian, says that “today’s most pressing challenges – climate change, biodiversity loss, pollution, food insecurity and socioeconomic vulnerabilities – are deeply interconnected.” He adds that “they demand integrated approaches like One Health, which can improve prevention and mitigation.” Baba Soumare, WOAH Deputy Director General, points to animal health as one of the most effective entry points for prevention. Investments in animal health, food systems, environmental protection and public health can also reinforce one another. Together, they deliver greater impact than isolated sectoral interventions.
Soumare adds that “investing in One Health means investing in stronger veterinary services, better surveillance and greater collaboration across sectors to detect, prevent and respond to health threats at their source. These investments protect not only animals, but also people, economies and ecosystems.” Mohamed Manssouri, Assistant Director-General and Director of the FAO Investment Centre, notes that “while the wider benefits of investing in One Health are recognized globally, investments in One Health initiatives are still limited.” He stresses that “more quantitative evidence of the added value of the One Health approach and support to governments to translate One Health priorities into investment plans are essential for securing continued political commitment as well as investor confidence and engagement.” Dr Jeremy Farrar, Assistant Director-General, WHO, echoes this sentiment. He confirms that as “Chair of the Quadripartite, WHO will work with partners to strengthen the evidence on the impact and return on investment of One Health interventions.”
Farrar adds that this work is essential to build a stronger scientific and economic case for the One Health approach and turn political commitment into action. The latest brief is part of the FAO Investment Centre’s Innovation and Knowledge for Investment (IK4I) series. It adds to FAO’s body of work around One Health. That body of work includes two major studies with the World Bank in Asia and the Pacific, published in 2022, on strengthening investments in livestock health and wildlife systems. The publication reinforces the case for coordinated investment across human, animal, plant and ecosystem health.