Agri-food systems deal with process, activities, infrastructure and environments that encompass the production, processing, distribution, waste disposal, and consumption of food. This has a strong linkage to human health where such adverse issues including zoonotic diseases, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), occupational disease, unsafe food and unbalanced diet causing malnutrition. To tackle this problem, an integrated-approaches which take into account socio-ecological factors related to health issues is needed. 

This issue was addressed in the newly published editorial by Hung Nguyen-Viet and his colleagues in the International Journal of Public Health. A presentation on the topic also will be presented at the Ecohealth 2018 Conference in Cali, Colombia, in August 2018, which calls for environmental and health equity. 

Ecosystem approach to health (or ecohealth) is among various holistic approach that recognizes that humans, animals, and their environment operate functionally as complex socioecological systems. Ecohealth Conference is a biannual event gathering researchers and practitioners working in the field of ecohealth to update and share their work. More information on this year conference can be found at http://ecohealth2018.co

Hung Nguyen-Viet is currently the senior scientist and regional representative of East and Southeast Asia of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), in Hanoi, Vietnam. He is also a joint researcher of Hanoi University of Public Health. 

To download the full pdf of the editorial, please click here