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EXPANSION OF THE BUFFALO AGRI-SYSTEM AND INDUSTRY
FOLLOWING THE ONE HEALTH APPROACH
Expansión del sistema agrícola y la industria del búfalo siguiendo el enfoque One Health
Gabriela M. Carruyo1,2*, Ericka Calderon2, Armando E. Hoet3
1Department of Infectious Diseases-Faculty of Veterinary Science, Universidad del Zulia. Maracaibo, Venezuela
2 Food Safety and Animal Health-InterAmerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. San José, Costa Rica
3Veterinary Preventive Medicine Department-College of Veterinary Medicine, Ohio State University-Columbus
United States of America.
*Corresponding e-mail: Carruyo, Gabriela (gabrielacarruyo@gmail.com)
RESUMEN
El enfoque One Health busca concebir la salud como conse-
cuencia de la interacción en la interfaz del complejo humano/
animal/ambiente como un todo interrelacionado, con el objetivo
de cambiar la forma en que los seres humanos han gestiona-
do tradicionalmente la salud. Las lecciones aprendidas con la
reciente pandemia de Covid 19 y la pandemia silenciosa de
resistencia a los antimicrobianos (RAM), entre otras conocidas
como pandemias potenciales, han puesto de relieve la necesi-
dad de cambiar la forma de abordar las amenazas a la salud.
El mundo se enfrenta constantemente al desafío de las en-
fermedades zoonóticas, la aparición de nuevas enfermedades
promovidas por la invasión de los ecosistemas humanos, el
cambio climático, la pérdida de biodiversidad y la incapacidad
de la naturaleza para restaurar ecosistemas agotados debido
a la actividad humana. La creciente población mundial exige
alimentos sucientes, inocuos y nutritivos, pero la producción
de alimentos también necesita buenas prácticas y un comercio
justo. De lo contrario, los alimentos pueden convertirse en una
fuente esencial de enfermedades, diseminando patógenos y
resistencia a los antimicrobianos, lo que conduciría a una eco-
nomía insostenible. Actualmente, los vínculos entre alimenta-
ción y salud son bien reconocidos. La evaluación de riesgos y
la trazabilidad durante la producción y distribución de alimen-
tos son cruciales para garantizar la inocuidad, la protección y
la sostenibilidad de los alimentos. Los agrosistemas bufalinos
y la industria, como productores y proveedores de alimentos en
crecimiento, tienen la oportunidad de impactar positivamente
el desarrollo de sistemas económicos sostenibles. La expan-
sión de los sistemas agrícolas y la industria del búfalo deberá
estar en línea con las seis áreas de acción del Plan de Acción
Conjunto Una Salud 2022-2026 (OH JPA) mediante la incor-
poración de buenas prácticas de producción, la disminución
ABSTRACT
One Health approach is looking for conceiving health as a
consequence of interaction in the interphase of the human/
animal/environment complex as an interlinked whole, target-
ing to change how human beings have traditionally managed
health. Lessons learned with the recent Covid 19 pandemic
and the silent pandemic of antimicrobial resistance (AMR),
among others known as potential pandemics, have put on top
the need to change how to tackle health threats. The world is
constantly challenged by zoonotic diseases, the emergence of
new diseases promoted by human ecosystem invasion, climate
change, loss of biodiversity, and the inability of nature to restore
exhausted ecosystems due to human activity. The increasing
world population demands sucient, safe, and nutritious food,
but food production also needs good practices and fair trade.
Otherwise, food can become an essential source of illness, dis-
seminating pathogens and AMR, leading to an unsustainable
economy. Links between food and health are currently well rec-
ognized. Risk assessment and traceability during food produc-
tion and distribution are crucial to ensure food safety, security,
and sustainability. As growing food producers and suppliers,
Bualo Agri-systems and industry have the opportunity to pos-
itively impact the development of sustainable economic sys-
tems. Expansion of bualo Agri-systems and industry will re-
quire to be in line with the six areas of action of the One Health
Joint Plan of Action 2022-2026 (OH JPA) through incorporation
of good production practices, decreasing ecosystem negative
impact and processing and distribution of safe food in agree-
ment with national and international standards and guidelines.
Keywords: One Health, Bualo, Sustainability, AMR.
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del impacto negativo en el ecosistema y el procesamiento y
distribución. de alimentos seguros de acuerdo con normas y
directrices nacionales e internacionales.
Palabras clave: One Health, búfalos, Sostenibilidad, RAM.
INTRODUCTION
Bualo husbandry has progressively developed world-
wide from its origin lands in Asia and Africa to the Americas,
especially in tropical and sub-tropical countries. In the last de-
cades, it has emerged as an economic alternative due to its
adaptation capacity, high-quality meat and milk, and resistance
to infectious diseases, among other vital traits [1, 2]. The in-
creasing Bualo production can bring a signicant contribution
to achieving United Nations-Sustainable Development Goals
(SDGs) by supplying a demanding market of animal protein,
promoting at the same time employment generation and hu-
man well-being improvements.
Water bualoes can better resist climate change than
other food-producing livestock types; the husbandry can be
protable and sustainable in small and large production sys-
tems [2]. However, bualo breeding practices impact the food
production environment (environment and ecosystem shared
with humans, other food-producing animals, and wildlife) and
could also aect public health. One Health approach and SDGs
seek a positive balance in the complex interlink of animal hus-
bandry/environment/health/economy development. The SDGs
2023 report has stated the urgent need to implement policies
that support a shift towards sustainable practices and new
resource-independent indexes to measure economic growth.
The establishment of an exemplary structure of governance
is critical to generating appropriate policies supporting legal
and nancial development or improvements of food production
systems focused on sustainable development. Sustainability
reports at the company level have been increasing since 2016,
showing a rise in industries’ awareness to prioritize sustain-
able practices [3]. As a growing industry, expansion of bualo
Agri-systems and industry will require to promote assessment
of the current husbandry and trade practices and then, gradu-
ally implement the required adaptations to guarantee a sustain-
able food production system.
Scientic research and epidemiological analysis have
brought to light unquestionable evidence of how human be-
havior and uncontrolled risk factors have led to cumulative ef-
fects generating negative consequences. Depicted by climate
change, modied natural ecosystems, diminished biodiversi-
ty, emergence and re-emergence of infectious diseases, and
increased zoonotic potential of some microorganisms, these
changes seriously challenge eorts to guarantee global health
and food supply [4].
The primary products of the bualo industry, meat, and
dairy, pose a great responsibility for producing and supplying
nutritious and safe food. The complexity of the food chain (from
farm to fork), which includes primary production at the farm lev-
el, processing, packaging, transportation, and points of sale to
reach the end consumer, implies vulnerabilities at any point of
this chain, increasing the probability of contamination of food
with potential risk to human health. This is why the traceabil-
ity of produce represents a key factor for risk analysis: iden-
tication of potential risk factors, risk assessment, risk control
measures, and ability to measure the impact of risk manage-
ment. Beyond that, it is also essential to design preparedness
strategies for further potential risks [5]. Expansion of bualo
Agri-systems and industry will depend on good food production
practices, processing, distribution, and trade, and should be
in sound with established national and international standards
and regulations.
ONE HEALTH OVERVIEW
Throughout modern history, human health has most-
ly been considered an isolated area, merely the competency
and responsibility of human physicians, and in a narrow point
of view, it has to be that way due to areas of specialization
needed to treat the variety nature of human diseases. Such
a perspective also prevailed for animal health, where animal
issues, especially those linked with animal husbandry for food
production, are just of veterinary services and producers’ com-
petency. Zoonotic diseases are well recognized as an essential
link between humans and animals, profoundly impacting hu-
man health and wellness; these two branches of health usually
work apart from each other, even though both are looking for
population development and well-being. Also, for a long time,
environmental consequences of the impact of human activities
and animal breeding (food-producing animals) were ignored.
This narrow perspective of health has paved unprecedented
global consequences due to neglected risk factors and critical
points at dierent areas of health on earth.
Moving toward sustainability of eld productive activities
that guarantee the well-being of human beings, animals, and
ecosystems in an equilibrated process of gain and loss, the
concept of One Health emerged as the most suitable and e-
cient approach to face health challenges to achieve everyone’s
positive balance.
Leader health organizations: World Health Organization
(WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), and the
World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH) have jointly
worked for decades. Nevertheless, it was not until 2010 that
the Tripartite commitment surged as a strategic alignment and
a global governance structure to face public and animal health
and environmental risks under the One Health perspective [6].
Special attention to health hazards associated with zoonoses
and animal diseases, food safety, and antimicrobial resistance
was settled. In February of 2021, a fourth partnership, the Unit-
ed Nations Environment Program (UNEP), joined Tripartite,
currently named Quadripartite, reinforced the crucial role of the
environment and ecosystem.
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The Quadripartite currently denes One Health as “an
integrated, unifying approach that aims to sustainably bal-
ance and optimize the health of humans, animals, plants
and ecosystems. It recognizes that the health of humans,
domestic and wild animals, plants, and the wider environ-
ment (including ecosystems) are closely linked and inter-
dependent” [4]*.
This collaborative work has also resulted in the develop-
ment of the rst Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance
(GAP) as a leading global guidance to tackle this silent pan-
demic under the One Health perspective [8, 9]. Antimicrobial re-
sistance (AMR) is recognized as an increasingly serious threat
to public health and sustainable food production, and partici-
pation of all sectors of government and society is a primary re-
quirement to generate an adequate response (39th Conference
of FAO, June 2015). In Latin America and the Caribbean, es-
sential achievements have been made by the technical support
of regional organizations such as the Inter-American Institute
for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), joined with academia
represented by Ohio State University. Their eorts in capacity
building and designing programs have enabled nearly ten Latin
American and Caribbean countries to develop and implement
monitoring and surveillance programs on AMR under the One
Health perspective.
Having faced the COVID-19 pandemic, the main lesson
is the need for a joint vision of One Health implementation,
intersectoral collaboration, and political will as the only way
to prevent future pandemics. Besides the One Health holis-
tic concept, the functional consideration for the implementa-
tion of the One Health approach necessarily requires collab-
orative, multisectoral, and trans-disciplinary work with active
participation at dierent levels of society, from policymakers
to the public general, to achieve the primary goal of optimal
health outcomes, always recognizing the interconnection be-
tween humans, animals, plants and their shared environment
[5]. Collaborative eorts on tackling health and environmental
threats mainly aim to contribute to sustainable development,
looking for balance and integration of the social, environmen-
tal, and economic dimensions. This is the operational deni-
tion of One Health.
In summary, the “One Health” approach recognizes that
people’s health is connected to the health of animals and the
environment [8]. It acknowledges the indivisible interlink be-
tween the three focal points of health and how they impact each
other.
The One Health Joint Plan of Action (OH JPA) 2022-2026
is guided by the theory of change and focuses on six action
areas:
1. 1. Enhancing One Health capacities to stren-Enhancing One Health capacities to stren-
gthen health systemsgthen health systems
2. Reducing the risks from emerging and
re-emerging zoonotic epidemics and pan-
demics.
3. Controlling and eliminating zoonotic, neglected tropical
and vector-borne diseases.
4. Strengthening the assessment, management and com-
munication of food safety risks.
5. Curbing the silent pandemic of Antimicrobial Resistance
(AMR)
6. 6. Integrating the Environment into One Health.Integrating the Environment into One Health. [4]
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS
OF THE UNITED NATIONS 2030 AGENDA
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) are a call for
action by all countries independently of their wealth index, look-
ing for economic growth addressing social needs. At the same
time, protect the planet.10 There have been established 17
SDGs constituting the focal point of the 2030 Agenda adopted
by the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in 2015 (see
annex 1). All United Nations Member States adopted the SDGs
to end poverty, reduce inequality, and build more peaceful,
prosperous societies by 2030, seeking economic development,
promoting environmental sustainability, and guaranteeing so-
cial inclusion [10, 11].
Sustainable development is “development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs” [12, 13].
According to this, eorts must focus on reversing the tri-
ple planetary climate change crisis, nature depletion, biodiver-
sity loss, and pollution and residues [10].
FOOD PRODUCTION CHALLENGES
The world population is expected to climb to 8.5 billion
souls by 2030. With an increase of 2 billion in the next thirty
years, it has been estimated to be 9.7 billion by 2050 and near-
ly 10.9 billion by 2100 [14]. With such growth, food demand
increases as fast as the population. Thus, several of the sev-
enteen SDGs are directly related to food production (see an-
nex 1), and it is essential to highlight that this increasing world
population requires higher food production levels and massive
food distribution, and both rely necessarily on agriculture devel-
opment and food safety systems.
* Note: In this denition, the environment is considered a whole, including ecosystems. From a more specic and operational point of view, envi-
ronment refers to abiotic components (e.g., water, soil, air, chemicals), and ecosystems refer to biotic components (fauna, ora, microorganisms)
of a geographic area [7].
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Globalization and the growing world population, among
other causes, have pushed massive movements of people
worldwide and changed consumption behavior. High food pro-
duction levels to supply world requirements have then induced
increased movements of live animals and food products across
borders, facilitating the emergence of new pathogens and fast-
er dissemination of zoonosis and antimicrobial resistance.
The world is constantly challenged by zoonotic diseases,
food safety, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), disruption of eco-
systems, availability of food and water, and economic well-be-
ing, among others. These challenges are especially important
in communities where agriculture is the main economic activity
or when agriculture signicantly contributes to the country’s
wealth, but also in distant communities due to food demand. It
is necessary to remember that the advancement or evolution of
humanity will always rely on our capacity to protect and ensure
safe food systems [15].
Even though bualoes are more resistant to infectious
diseases and can adapt better than cattle, they can be an im-
portant source of disseminating pathogens and antimicrobial
resistance. Moreover, microorganisms from food-producing
animals could alter the composition of the human microbiome,
and both human and animal microbiomes can coevolve due
to their close interdependence [16]. This coevolution increas-
es the probability of susceptibility to the same pathogens and
facilitates both senses sharing of microorganisms (animal to
human and human to animal). Then, good practices in bua-
lo husbandry, appropriate animal health programs (e.g., timely
vaccination, parasites, and vector control), and rational use of
antimicrobials are crucial to reduce the possibilities of exchang-
ing microorganisms between humans and bualoes and avoid
signicant microbiome variations.
Food-producing animals represent a crucial intersection
between humans, animals, and the environment and ecosys-
tem in the primary production sector. On one hand, food safety
starts on the farm, and it depends on animal and ecosystem
health. Food from bualo origin will enter the food chain to
reach humans as nal consumers, and deviations from good
practices from farm to table can impact human health in various
ways. In addition, food of bualo origin is as susceptible to con-
tamination as any other food type. On the other hand, if bualo
farming is driven at the expense of the ecosystem, environmen-
tal health, and/or animal welfare, tremendous pressure will be
placed on natural resources with a rapid utilization rate, and
nature will not be able to keep up the pace to replenish resourc-
es [4]. Thus, the production of food of bualo origin requires
implementing the One Health approach to be safe, eciently
produced, economically protable, and sustainable.
SAFE FOOD FROM BUFFALO ORIGIN AND TRADE
Access to safe food is a human right. However, over
420,000 people die after consumption of contaminated food
(whatever the cause be, microorganisms, chemical residues,
or toxins), and nearly 600 million people currently get ill due
to consumption of food lacking minimum quality standards.
Foodborne hazards are dierent and can be present or enter at
any point in the food chain. They also cause dierent natures
of acute or chronic diseases, from digestive tract infections to
cancer [15].
In order to assure food safety during production, process-
ing, distribution, and trade, the food-producing bualo industry
should meet the international food standards established by
FAO/WHO Codex Alimentarius, and in those cases of export-
ing should comply with World Trade Organization (WTO) stan-
dards. In all cases, following the World Organization of Animal
Health (WOAH, founded as OIE) guidelines to meet food-pro-
ducing animal health requirements is necessary [17].
International trade of food from bualo origin will require
to meet these standards in order to get an appropriate registra-
tion of the products according to international trade regulations
and commercial partner’s legislations, e.g., Food and Drugs
Administration (FDA), Food Safety and Inspection Service
(FSIS. USDA), Canadian Food Inspection Agency, European
Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and Food Standards Australia
New Zeland (FSANZ) [18-22]. Following food safety standards
will facilitate fair practices in the international food trade. Buf-
falo health, food safety, and fair food trade go alongside the
generation of healthy, nutritious, and sucient food, reinforcing
at the same time opportunities for bualo products and byprod-
ucts marketing and food industry expansion.
Non-compliance with food safety standards could lead
to the withdrawal of food products from the market and legal
action against the involved food enterprise. Most important, a
single foodborne disease outbreak could cause lives toll and
loss of businesses. Main food safety issues are associated with
contamination with microorganisms altering nutritional and mi-
crobiology characteristics of food that could lead to foodborne
diseases and reduce the market life span of produce [23].
Contaminating microorganisms could be pathogens or not, but
harboring antimicrobial resistance that eciently disseminates
through food is possible. Any of these cases, foodborne out-
breaks, AMR, or reduced produce life span, represent a severe
threat to public health and impact the economy.
Some remarkable features of bualo are the innate re-
sistance to some bacteria, parasites, and even ticks and the
extensive nature of husbandry in most countries where bualo
breeding has emerged [23]. Both imply less use of antibiotics,
antiparasitics, and other biocides, providing benets beyond
the breeding and production. Less use of antimicrobials results
in lower selective pressure on resistant microorganisms, re-
ducing the chances of disseminating antimicrobial resistance
and antimicrobial residues to the environment. This feature
represents a signicant advantage, positioning food of bualo
origin as a source of safer food for human consumption and
improving trading opportunities.
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The advantages of bualo nature could be reduced or
lost due to some human practices. For example, to solve farm-
ing issues regarding scarcity or lack of fresh water, in some
countries, bualoes are bathed with sewage. This practice in-
creases the risk of diseases such as clinical mastitis, foot and
mouth disease, and tick infestation (increasing vector-borne
disease likelihood), reducing at the same time milk production
and slaughter value and impacting the economy, productivity,
animal welfare, and undoubtedly quality of food from bualo
origin [25]. Although bualoes have shown to be more resistant
than cattle, they still bear susceptibility to a variety of infectious
diseases such as leptospirosis, brucellosis, tuberculosis, and
bovine viral diarrhea, and parasitic diseases like fasciolosis and
schistosomiasis, all impacting animal and/or public health [26].
Thus, it is crucial to assess farming practices that could reduce
the advantages traits that bualo naturally express and mitigate
them to ensure food quality and better trade opportunities.
IMPLEMENTING ONE HEALTH APPROACH
IN THE AGRIFOOD CHAIN
More bualo farmers than we can think to have some
One Health practices without even knowing. If they are part of
a community dedicated to bualo husbandry or farmers’ orga-
nizations with standard plans, or if good practices for livestock
rearing and food production are considered, and ecosystem
preservation is of interest, they have started on the right foot.
However, if it is not, the best way is to start simply by inte-
grating into working groups and inducing simple changes with
what farmer has available regarding resources and installed
capacity. To move toward sustainability, it is crucial to remem-
ber that excellent infrastructure investment is optional as long
as feasible objectives are established and gradually scale up to
integrating humans, animals, and ecosystem wellbeing. Imple-
menting the One Health approach can only be achieved with
integrative, collaborative, multisectoral, and transdisciplinary
actions. However, good governance is required to build legal
basement and regulatory policies.
The best example of implementing the One Health ap-
proach in the agrifood chain is the monitoring and surveillance
programs on antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Since 2015, a
Global Action Plan on AMR has been ongoing, and specic
directives and objectives have been established [9]. Although
developed countries like the United States of America, Cana-
da, Denmark, Sweden, and Korea, among others, have been
working on such programs long ago, many countries worldwide
have started designing and implementing their own national
action plan according to their resources and capacities. Har-
monized methodologies have been established and updated to
assess critical points along the human and animal health sys-
tems related to the agrifood chain from farm to table. Dierent
animal production systems (mainly poultry, cattle, and swine)
are monitored to identify phenotype-resistant bacteria in vari-
ous sample types and critical points throughout the food chain.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, the InterAmerican
Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), joint with the
Veterinary Preventive Medicine Department of Ohio State Uni-
versity (OSU), has been providing technical support on the de-
signing and implementation of such plans under One Health
perspective for several countries in the region. This collabo-
rative work has yielded National monitoring and surveillance
programs for AMR already in implementation or the designing
phase (e.g., Paraguay, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Belize, Chile, Bra-
zil, Jamaica, and Colombia). Multisectoral and transdisciplinary
teamwork has been constituted with the active participation of
Ministries of human and animal health, agriculture and environ-
ment, academies, reference laboratories, producers’ associa-
tions, private industry, and retailers, among other stakeholders
called to participate.
In addition, pilot projects have been successfully de-
signed and executed; the CISARA project involved seven poul-
try-producing Caribbean countries [27]; last year, pilot projects
for Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua were designed and
are ahead to be implemented (IICA et al. of Pilot Plan for Mon-
itoring Antimicrobial Resistance in the Agricultural sector in
Honduras, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, nancially supported by
USDA). As a result of the IICA-OSU collaboration, a systematic
design process has been developed, establishing harmonized
methodologies, and following the One Health perspective. The
technical support and guidance IICA-OSU is bringing to coun-
tries in Latin America and the Caribbean is crucial for strength-
ening the monitoring and surveillance systems of AMR under
the One Health approach.
On a global scale, many countries worldwide have been
collecting AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) information in the
food and agriculture sectors. However, unexpectedly, the data
obtained has yet to be thoroughly analyzed, generating gaps
in epidemiological data. Thus, FAO aims to promote and fa-
cilitate AMR stewardship by developing the International FAO
AMR Monitoring (InFARM) System and IT platform as a global
epidemiological information system to host, analyze, interpret,
and leverage AMR data generated by countries, enhancing the
availability and quality of data in a harmonized way [28]. In-
FARM will generate integrated global data on AMR of the food
and agriculture sectors following the One Health perspective.
Additionally, the WOAH (founded as OIE) ANImal antimicrobial
USE global database (ANIMUSE) has collected information on
the amounts and reasons for animal antimicrobial use since
2015. Free access database allows interactive display of re-
ports on the global and regional trends [29, 30].
In the Bualo production system, we can mention a few
examples. A One Health integrated project has been developed
in Thailand and Vietnam. It aims to assess bualo care prac-
tices based on the herder’s knowledge and environmental as-
sessment of the impact of extensive farming at the village pad-
dies eld and within the forest grazing area. Also, to study the
bualo microbiota for AMR gene detection and microorganisms’
distribution in the ecosystem [31]. In other countries, studies
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on mitigation of the environmental impact of bualo production
through genetic improvement and mitigation alternatives of the
negative environmental impacts of the introduction of bualo
breeding have been done.
The global bualo population has reached nearly 200
million; 97% are reared in Asia, where many depend on this
species for livelihood. Bualo breeding has roughly grown 2%
per year in the last two decades and is still growing in the rest
of the world, and currently, more than sixty countries account
for bualo husbandry [2, 32, 23]. The products and byproducts
from the bualo Agri-system and industry are spreading world-
wide due to features such as milk and meat nutritional quality.
For example, bualo milk ranks second after cow milk, with
a signicant share of global milk production [2]. Thus, bualo
farming has gained a worldwide competitive position, gener-
ating essential responsibilities for safe and sustainable food
production.
ECONOMIC GROWTH UNDER ONE HEALTH
APPROACH
Besides food production, the development of the food
production system allows society to benet through employ-
ment generation, income increases, infrastructure improve-
ments, industry expansion, and economic growth. Traditionally,
the economic indicator Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has
determined progress assessment considering the total value
of goods produced and services provided by a country, which
translates into national wealth [11, 14].
Health world leaders have realized that such indica-
tors exclude accountability for environmental eects and the
cost it harbors. In that sense, a new indicator has been pro-
posed named the Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI), Green Gross
Domestic Product, or Green National Income (GNI) to weigh
environmental sustainability and equity, leading to measuring
economic sustainability and well-being. This new indicator aims
to assure sustainability and the long-term well-being of the pop-
ulation. This new perspective considers the impact of human
productive activity on the ecosystem where such activities are
performed. The food production and processing environment
will represent the food and agriculture sectors [34, 35].
The Inclusive Wealth Index (IWI) was created by the
United Nations University- International Human Dimensions
Programme on Global Environmental Change (UNU-IHDP)
and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) [34].
In order to achieve an actual measure of changes in the wealth
of nations, this index includes assets of a country employing its
human, natural, social, and physical capital, moving estimation
of nation wealth beyond traditional measurements and updat-
ing the way of wealth assessment. This broad approach is ex-
pected to facilitate heads of governance better management of
the economy, being aware of wealth assets, and understanding
promoter factors of their increases and/or depletion [35].
In general, most countries have signicantly exhausted
their natural capital in eorts to achieve growth, although some
have accumulated human and productive capital with relatively
low loss of natural capital. According to the Inclusive Wealth
Report (IWR) 2023, Latin America and the Caribbean have a
higher loss of natural capital than any other region globally.
Some of its countries have lost more than half of their natural
capital since 1990, which means that economic performance
has been made at the expense of natural capital. However, the
most signicant loss between 1990 and 2019 occurred in Ja-
pan, with a 70% loss of natural capital at the expense of sher-
ies and forest overexploitation. Globally, changes in the estima-
tion of wealth urge order to promote an increase in renewable
natural capital and reverse this depletion trend focused on
building socially just and environmentally sustainable develop-
ment pathways [35].
CONCLUSIONS
• One Health approach could seem a utopic health per-
spective due to its holistic meaning and our usual way
to account for development. However, based on the
health challenges we are experiencing, the unstoppable
increasing demand for food, and the exhaustion of nat-
ural resources and biodiversity, the only way to achieve
sustainability is to establish practices rendering a positive
balance between the triad human/animals/environment.
Suitable governance structures are crucial.
• It is imperative to know that the only way to implement
the One Health approach is through integrative, multisec-
toral, and transdisciplinary collaboration.
• Implementing the One Health approach does not nec-
essarily imply great investment; it just requires the es-
tablishment of feasible objectives based on existing
resources and capacities. Start simple with achievable
small goals, progressively scaling up for more signicant
outcomes according to developed capacities during the
process.
RECOMMENDATIONS
• Producers should strengthen their associations and look
for new partnerships like academics, researchers, and
international organizations to develop systematic ways
to embrace changes and challenges based on scientic
evidence.
• Identifying risk factors for introducing bualoes in new
areas should account for animal health and welfare and
sustainability of the ecosystem and production system.
• Perform a current situation analysis, which is highly rec-
ommended to identify the baseline and determine the
start point.
70
13th World Bualo Congress ~ 13er Congreso Mundial de Búfalos / Lectures / Animal Health & One Health __________________________
• Feedback and suggestions from all interested parties
or stakeholders are essential to advance sustainability.
Thus, sharing relevant data obtained from the bualo
agri-system and industry assessment will promote ca-
pacity building and will allow better and more ecient
use of resources.
FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
• Bualo industry has excellent chances to expand beyond
borders if products and byproducts meet the internation-
al trade standards of food safety and quality and ensure
traceability and security of the food produced.
• Expansion of the bualo Agri-system, as with any other
food-producing system, will require enrolling in a self-as-
sessment of production, processing, distribution, and
trade practices to understand how profound the impact
on society, environment, and economy is. Production of
food from bualo origin could positively impact achieving
the SDGs.
• It is necessary to change in the way we usually think food
production should be and the pathway we usually use to
measure wealthiness.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks are due to organizers of 13th World Congress
of Bualo for the opportunity of sharing new insights regard-
ing One Health approach with this important food production
sector.
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ANNEX
Annex 1. United Nations Sustainable development goals
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs)
Goal 1 End poverty in all its forms everywhere
Goal 2 End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture
Goal 3 Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages
Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all
Goal 5 Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls
Goal 6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
Goal 7 Ensure access to aordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
Goal 8 Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all
Goal 9 Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation
Goal 10 Reduce inequality within and among countries
Goal 11 Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
Goal 12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
Goal 13 Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
Goal 14 Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
Goal 15 Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests,
combat desertication, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
Goal 16 Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to
justice for all and build eective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels
Goal 17 Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development
Available at: https://sdgs.un.org/goals;
SDGs logo use: https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/SDG_Guidelines_AUG_2019_Final.pdf
