One health: considerations in the International Year of Plant Health

Abstract

The concept of “one health” is gaining strength at a global scale. The term summarizes a notion that has been known for more than a century: human and animal health are interdependent and linked to the ecosystems in which they coexist. In the International Year of Plant Health (2020), it is crucial that the agricultural sciences call attention for the need to consider the health of plants and their microbiome as a whole within the “one health” concept, closely linked to the health of the soil, the environment, animals and humans. In the context of agroecological production based on the sustainable management of natural resources, integrated pest management has been promoted to reduce the use of pesticides and mitigate negative effects on human and environmental health. The combination of genetic resistance with cultural and biological control have contributed to achieving this goal. The management of the microbiome offers also the possibility of addressing plant nutritional issues and the continuum between environmental, plant, animal and human health. With its strategic plan and long-term vision, INIA plays an essential role in the generation of knowledge and technologies, acting in accordance to the one health approach.

Keywords

• ecosystem health
• food safety and security
• human health
• microbiome
• soil health