ICIPE hosts One Health workshop aiming to cultivate a more inclusive, sustainable and resilient One Health
NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 27…The workshop held at International Centre for Insect Physiology (ICIPE) , Nairobi focused on integrating One Health approach with gender equality in agri-food systems brought together participants from Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya among others.
Discussions centered on how gender integration can revolutionize agricultural and environmental health paving the way for sustainable development.
The One Health framework emphasized the interconnectedness of human, plant, animal, environmental health and recognizes that challenges in one area can affect the others.
Dr. Beatrice Muriithi Scientist, Gender and Impact Assessment in the icipe’s Social Sciences underscored the importance of an inclusive strategy noting that neglecting gender disparities renders efforts to improve food systems and the health sector incomplete.
“I call upon stakeholders to pursue local solutions and invest in human capital to ensure long-term success to mobilize local resources and incorporate gender equality into funding proposals that can help ensure stable support for these projects”, said Dr. Muriithi.
Furthermore, participants included representatives from Kenya’s public health, agriculture, and animal health sectors they further explored strategies to ensure equitable access to resources such as financial support, training and inputs.
Dr. Rahma Adam, a senior scientist at WorldFish noted that while women are central to food security and household nutrition, they often lack access to resources and decision-making platforms.
“There is need for research institutions and policy makers to work together to break down these barriers and empower women in agriculture”, said Dr. Adam.
In addition they also addressed funding challenges facing One Health projects Many African initiatives rely heavily on donor support, raising concerns about their sustainability.
The event provided a platform for researchers, development practitioners, and private sector actors to collaborate on solutions that promote gender equality within the One Health framework.
