From July 28 to 30, 2026, the One Health in Agrifood Systems Forum was successfully convened in Sanya, Hainan Province. Themed "From Science to Action, Connecting Villages to Cities, from Investment to Impact," the forum was jointly organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Nanjing Agricultural University, Hainan Tropical Diseases Research Center, the International Society of Zoological Sciences (ISZS), Sun Yat-sen University, and Hainan University, with the support of the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Administration. More than 300 participants from around the world engaged in in-depth discussions on operationalizing the One Health approach, aiming to provide intellectual support for collectively addressing global health challenges.

Opening ceremony

The opening ceremony was moderated by Ms. SONG Junxia, FAO Deputy Chief Veterinarian and Chief of One Health and Disease Control, Animal Production and Health Division. The forum commenced with a video address by Dr. QU Dongyu, Director-General of FAO. He emphasized that One Health is a cornerstone of FAO's strategic approach, requiring equal attention to soil, plant, and animal health to ensure the effective implementation of the One Health agenda.

Mr. WANG Qiyang, Secretary of CPC Sanya City Committee, delivered a speech in which he noted that the Hainan Free Trade Port officially commenced full-island customs operation last year, creating new opportunities for strengthening international cooperation on One Health among countries and regions. He expressed the hope that the forum would serve as a bridge to deepen practical collaboration between Sanya, FAO, and all participating parties.

Mr. LU Mingzhe, Deputy Director General of China Animal Health and Epidemiology Center (CAHEC), extended his congratulations on the successful convening of the forum. He stated that safeguarding ecological security and strengthening the prevention and control of animal and plant diseases are integral components of One Health and will be critical to ensuring future agricultural production and social security.

Opening Ceremony Speakers. Top panel from left: WANG Qiyang, LU Mingzhe, WANG Yuanchao; Bottom panel from left: YUE Wen, Thanawat Tiensin, SONG Junxia (Moderator)

Professor WANG Yuanchao, Vice President of Nanjing Agricultural University, noted in his address that Nanjing Agricultural University has already undertaken significant work on One Health in collaboration with FAO. He emphasized that One Health is a vital theoretical framework for the future of global production and social operations, and reaffirmed the university's commitment to playing an active role in One Health development in partnership with all sectors of society.

Professor YUE Wen, Vice President of Hainan University, stated that Hainan University, situated in the tropics, places great emphasis on One Health discipline development and has established relevant institutions such as the Hainan International One Health Institute. The university has already developed close collaboration with FAO and ISZS on One Health and hopes to further strengthen such cooperation to support the biosafety strategy of the Hainan Free Trade Port.

Dr. Thanawat Tiensin, FAO Assistant Director-General, Chief Veterinarian, Director of the Animal Production and Health Division, remarked that One Health connects the environment, agricultural production, and animal diseases, playing a pivotal role in modern development. He emphasized that One Health requires global support and will in turn safeguard the world's future development. He noted that Sanya has already taken a leading position in One Health development and called for global solidarity in advancing the One Health agenda.

Keynote Speakers. From left: Yvon Le Maho, ZHU Yongguan, SONG Junxia

Following the opening ceremony, three keynote presentations were delivered. Professor Yvon Le Maho, Member of the European Academy of Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences, Research Director at the Institut pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien (IPHC), CNRS, spoke on "Which are the needed key actions to undertake to fulfill the requirements of One Health?"; Professor ZHU Yongguan, Member of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Professor at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, presented on "Understanding the Invisible Microbial World in One Health"; Ms. SONG Junxia, FAO Deputy Chief Veterinarian and Chief of One Health and Disease Control, Animal Production and Health Division, addressed "Bridging villages, cities, science and policy for resilient One Health agrifood systems".

The forum featured two high-level dialogues and six parallel sessions. The first high-level dialogue was titled "Translating One Health evidence into effective policy and governance". The dialogue was moderated by Dr. Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of FAO, with panelists including Dr. Yvon Le Maho (Member of the European Academy of Sciences and the French Academy of Sciences, CNRS), Ms. Sanam Khudaybergenova (Head of the Department for International Cooperation and Investment Promotion, Committee for Veterinary and Livestock Development of Uzbekistan), Dr. JIN Meilin (Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University), Dr. WANG Hongning (Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Sichuan University), and Dr. WU Yongning (Chief Scientist, China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment, CFSA).

The second high-level dialogue was titled "From science to action with the One Health approach". The dialogue wasmoderated by Professor ZHOU Xiaonong, Director of the Hainan Tropical Diseases Research Center, with panelists including Dr. Klaus Osterrieder (President, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Germany), Dr. Maeli Melotto (Fellow of AAAS, University of California, Davis), Mr. Eduardo Leaño (Director-General, Network of Aquaculture Centres in Asia-Pacific, NACA), and Dr. ZHAO Shuhong (Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Huazhong Agricultural University).

Roundtable Discussions

The six parallel sessions, each combining presentations with roundtable discussions, addressed the following themes: One Health data for evidence-based decision-making; One Health science and innovation for local practice; One Health strategy for cross-sectoral coordination; from green cities to One Health cities: good practices; building One Health cities: science-based pathways for integrated urban health; and building One Health islands and villages. During one of these sessions, Professor ZHANG Zhibin, Vice President and Executive Director of ISZS and Dean of the Hainan International One Health Institute at Hainan University, delivered a presentation entitled "Theory and practice of synergetic control of rodents, ectoparasite and zoonotic diseases".

Parallel Session Presentations and Q&A

On the afternoon of July 29, the forum issued the “Sanya Consensus: One Health in Agrifood Systems”, charting a clear direction for the future development and advancement of One Health. The release ceremony was attended by Mr. ZHANG Changfeng, Vice Mayor of Sanya; Dr. Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of FAO; Dr. Yvon Le Maho, Professor from CNRS; Ms. SONG Junxia, Director of the FAO One Health and Animal Diseases Centre; Dr. Klaus Osterrieder, President from the University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover; Dr. Maeli Melotto, Professor form University of California, Davis; Dr. ZHANG Zhibin, Dean of Hainan International One Health Institute, Hainan University; Dr. HAN Ho-jae, Professor from Seoul National University College of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. ZHOU Xiaonong, Director of Hainan Tropical Diseases Research Center; and Dr. QIAN Yingjuan, Professor from Nanjing Agricultural University.

Mr. ZHANG Changfeng, Vice Mayor of Sanya, addressed the closing ceremony, stating that One Health is a vital pillar for future social development and an integral component of Sanya's future development strategy. He expressed Sanya's willingness to work alongside FAO and all experts to undertake demonstrative One Health initiatives under the guidance of the Consensus.

Dr. Thanawat Tiensin, Assistant Director-General of FAO, stated in his closing remarks that One Health plays an essential safeguarding role for the world's future development. He noted that the forum had conducted systematic discussions on One Health from academic, policy, practical, and translational perspectives, culminating in the adoption of a consensus—a significant milestone in One Health development. He reaffirmed FAO's commitment to continuing its global efforts to advance One Health and provide essential support for the future development of agriculture and society.

Release Ceremony of the “Sanya Consensus: One Health in Agrifood System”. From left: QIAN Yuanjuan, ZHOU Xiaonong, Maeli Melotto, Yvon Le Maho, ZHANG Changfeng, Thanawat Tiensin, SONG Junxia, Klaus Osterrieder, Han Ho-jae, ZHANG Zhibin

Following the forum, a number of Chinese and international participants conducted on-site visits to the FAO Hainan Programme Coordination Office (PCO), the Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City Promotion Center, and the Research and Innovation Valley. These visits enhanced participants' understanding of FAO's ongoing One Health initiatives in Sanya.

Post-Forum Field Visits