Strengthening India’s Agri-Vet Sector through One Health Education and Awareness

Strengthening India’s Agri-Vet Sector through One Health Education and Awareness

Dr. Harsimran Kaur

Research Scholar, Punjab Agricultural University

Introduction

The intricate interdependence of human, animal, and environmental health known as the One Health framework has emerged as a cornerstone in managing infectious diseases, food safety, antimicrobial resistance, and ecosystem wellbeing. In India, where agricultural and veterinary sectors serve over 50% of rural livelihoods and underpin national food security, the need for comprehensive education and awareness under a One Health model has never been more pressing.

Recent zoonotic threats, including COVID-19, avian influenza, and Nipah virus outbreaks, have underscored gaps in cross-sectoral collaboration, surveillance systems, and public understanding of disease transmission. Moreover, low awareness among farmers and veterinary practitioners about zoonoses, antibiotic stewardship, and environmental hygiene contributes to preventable risks (Yasobant et al., 2019; Raut, 2023).

Recognizing this, India has launched its first One Health Certification Program under the National Centre for Disease Control (Bhattacharya, 2025), and key studies from Ahmedabad (RICOHA project) highlight the urgent need for grassroots One Health volunteers (Hegde, 2024). Building a roadmap that includes formal education integration, community awareness, institutional capacity, pilot programs, and evidence-based research is critical to fortify India’s agri-vet sector for the challenges ahead.

MEANING & CONTEXT

One Health recognizes that human, animal, and environmental health are inherently interconnected. Effective strategies must integrate insights from veterinary medicine, human public health, agricultural science, ecology, and policy. Such interdisciplinary coordination allows:

• Early detection and containment of zoonotic outbreaks,
• Safe antibiotic uses to reduce antimicrobial resistance,
• Sustainable animal husbandry and reduced pathogen spillover risk (Taaffe et al., 2023; NgaimyViet et al., 2025).

In practical terms, this means aligning veterinary training with medical curricula, launching community-based surveillance systems, engaging environmental agencies to monitor feed/water sources, and building farmer awareness of health interlinkages.

THE NEED FOR ONE HEALTH EDUCATION IN INDIA’S AGRIVET SECTOR

1. Knowledge Gaps Among Farmers and Practitioners

Low levels of awareness among livestock farmers about zoonotic risks persist. A study across South Asia found that while over 85% of respondents recognized that animal illness could pose human risk, only 11–12% had adequate knowledge about transmission nearly 62% relied on traditional treatment and actual safe practices were observed in just 38% of households. Education level particularly science-based schooling was a key predictor of knowledge (Jain & Kumar, 2019; Raut, 2023).

2. Lack of Intersectoral Coordination

Evidence from the RICOHA initiative revealed limited synergy between public health, veterinary, and local governance agencies in Ahmedabad. Coordination gaps reduced timely notification of rabies or brucellosis cases. The study recommended appointing local-level One Health volunteers to bridge surveillance across sectors (Hegde, 2024).

3. Inadequate Institutional Preparedness

Although institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), National Institute of Animal Biotechnology (NIAB), and ICMR’s National Institute for One Health now support training, broader integration across veterinary colleges, medical schools, and agricultural universities is lacking. For example, vocational veterinary programs rarely offer modules on ecosystem health or antimicrobial stewardship (Bhattacharya, 2025).

DIMENSIONS OF ONE HEALTH EDUCATION IN INDIA’S AGRI-VET SECTOR

1. Integration of One Health in Veterinary and Agricultural Curriculum

Revising veterinary and agricultural syllabi to embed One Health principles is critical. This includes topics like zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), and environmental health, fostering interdisciplinary competence among future professionals.

2. Community Animal Health Workers (CAHWs) as One Health Ambassadors

CAHWs, especially trained youth and local paraprofessionals, serve as the first line of surveillance in remote and tribal regions. Their training strengthens the grassroots detection and reporting of zoonotic diseases, ensuring early intervention.

3. Food Safety and Hygiene in Dairy and Meat Chains

Educating farmers, vendors, and food handlers on hygienic practices can curb the spread of zoonotic infections like brucellosis and tuberculosis. Promoting “farm-to-fork” food safety protocols is essential in both rural and urban markets.

4. One Health and Tribal Livelihoods

Tribal communities share a deep relationship with livestock and forest ecosystems. Culturally tailored One Health campaigns that respect indigenous knowledge can lead to more effective adoption and protection strategies.

5. Gender and One Health in the Agri-Vet Sector

Women, often primary caregivers for livestock, are key to disease surveillance, fodder management, and hygiene. Gender-sensitive One Health training can empower them as central stakeholders in community health.

6. School-Level Awareness on Zoonotic Diseases

Integrating One Health topics in school curricula fosters early awareness about zoonotic threats. Activities such as field visits, hygiene awareness, and science-based storytelling prepare students as future stewards of health.

A ROADMAP FOR IMPLEMENTATION

Below is a cohesive framework for embedding One Health principles into India’s agri-vet education and practice.

1. Curriculum Integration and Capacity Building

• Integrate One Health modules into undergraduate and postgraduate curricula for veterinary, agriculture, and public health students (Taaffe et al., 2023).
• Launch cross-disciplinary field practicum, requiring students from different disciplines to collaborate in rural and peri-urban surveillance projects related to zoonotic disease, environmental contamination, or antibiotic use.
• Conduct continuous capacity-building workshops for existing DVMs, paravet workers, agricultural extension officers, and public health professionals in rural districts.

Community and Farmer-Level Outreach

• Develop grassroots awareness campaigns in local languages using visual materials: posters, radio messaging, murals, street theatre, and school programs to explain zoonotic disease prevention, safe animal handling, and waste management.
• Train One Health volunteers (e.g. Panchayat-level youth or community health workers) to monitor animal health, report symptoms early, and channel basic guidance during outbreaks (Hegde, 2024).

Institutional Strengthening and Surveillance

• Enhance laboratory networks, integrating veterinary labs with human health and environmental testing platforms, enabling unified pathogen screening workflows (Bhattacharya, 2025).
• Establish formal Veterinary Public Health (VPH) nodal units at district level to coordinate outbreak responses, antimicrobial resistance monitoring, and collaborations with agri colleges.

Evidence-Based Research and Policy Linkages

• Promote research on zoonotic clusters (e.g. Nipah virus in Kerala, anthrax in Andhra Pradesh, ABC resistance in stray dog populations).
• Encourage pilot studies that include environmental surveillance such as testing feed, water soil for pathogen reservoirs or antibiotic residues (Taaffe et al., 2023; Yusuf et al., 2022).

Pilot Programs and Local Innovations

• Run pilot One Health community interventions, e.g.:

In Uttar Pradesh, monitor spillover risk zones between livestock and wildlife corridors. In Assam, conduct rapid diagnostics for African Swine Fever (ASF) and engage pig farmers via community health platforms. In Punjab, integrate mosquito vector mapping across livestock sheds to reduce arboviral transmission.

BENEFITS AND ANTICIPATED IMPACT

• Timely disease detection and control, reducing spillover of zoonoses such as avian influenza, Nipah, brucellosis, and rabies.
• Improved antibiotic and vaccine use, mitigating antimicrobial resistance and reducing public health burdens.
• Enhanced food safety through integrated inspection regimes and training small-scale dairy and poultry producers.
• Ecosystem protection via environmental surveillance of water sources and livestock waste.
• Strengthened livelihood resilience, enabling farmers to adopt safe animal care and secure market access for certified products.

VISUAL ELEMENTS TO SUPPORT THE ARTICLE

Consider including these images in your presentation or report:

• Infographic of One Health triad: human–animal–environment overlap highlighting intervention areas.
• Community training sessions led by youth volunteers in rural settings.
• Farm-to-lab chains—sample collection, veterinary labs, public health centers.
• Snapshots of certificate courses or workshops hosted by NCDC or ICAR

CONCLUSION

One Health education and awareness form the bedrock of a resilient and integrated agricultural and veterinary landscape in India. Moving beyond institutional silos to community-led, cross-disciplinary strategies will reduce health risks, improve food safety, and secure livelihoods.

Key recommendations include:

• Recognizing and institutionalizing One Health as core curriculum across agrivet institutions.
• Empowering One Health volunteers at community level for early detection and awareness.
• Strengthening lab and institutional networks for disease surveillance and data sharing.
• Piloting interventions that align environmental, veterinary, and human health interests.

By embedding One Health into the fabric of education, policy, and grassroots practice, India can cultivate an agrivet sector that is health-conscious, adaptive, inclusive, and future-ready

REFERENCES

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Bhattacharya, D. (2025). Workforce capacity building in One Health: An innovative education and certification programme. Epi Dis Phere: Health Resilience, 1(1), 11–19.

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World Health Organization. (2022). Guidance on promoting zoonotic disease awareness in schools. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/zoonotic-disease-education

Yasobant, S., Falkenberg, T., et al. (2019). One Health collaboration for a resilient health system in India. One Health, 8, 100096. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.onehlt.2019.100096