A regional initiative aimed at strengthening coordination between human, animal, and environmental health systems has been launched to address rising risks of zoonotic diseases across Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean.
The ASEACA project, which focuses on preventing the emergence of diseases that can be transmitted from animals to humans, is being positioned as a platform to improve cooperation among national and local stakeholders while aligning strategies on disease prevention and early response systems.
At its kick-off meeting, participants from pilot sites in Pampanga and Bukidnon, along with representatives from partner institutions, discussed implementation plans, coordination structures, and priority actions for the initial phase of the project.
The meeting also served to clarify roles and establish a shared direction for the program's rollout.
Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) Director Mercedita Sombilla said the initiative goes beyond health concerns and is closely tied to broader efforts to build more resilient and sustainable food systems.
"By embedding One Health into farming and food systems, we ensure that agricultural expansion strengthens resilience rather than amplifies risks," she said.
"Preventing zoonotic spillovers is not just a health imperative—it is a foundation for sustainable, inclusive, and future ready food systems."
The project is being implemented in areas identified as vulnerable to zoonotic disease transmission, particularly communities affected by environmental pressures, climate change, and disruptions in agricultural systems.
Diseases such as leptospirosis, rabies, African swine fever, and avian influenza continue to place a burden on public and animal health systems, while the Covid-19 pandemic underscored the consequences of weak early warning mechanisms and limited intersectoral coordination.
Southeast Asia has been identified as a hotspot for such risks, driven by land use changes, intensive livestock and crop production, habitat loss, and increasing human encroachment into wildlife areas, compounded by climate-related pressures.
The kick-off meeting also highlighted community-based surveillance as a key approach for early detection and prevention, alongside efforts to identify gaps in capacity and opportunities for cross-sector collaboration.
Through technical discussions and participatory workshops, the project aims to develop a shared Theory of Change that links national strategies with local realities, ensuring that interventions are grounded in both institutional systems and community conditions.
Participants agreed on coordination arrangements, including technical working groups, and began drafting an indicative work plan covering 2026 to 2027.
Sombilla said the initiative aligns with global and regional frameworks, including the PREZODE movement on preventing zoonotic disease emergence, the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Philippines' Nationally Determined Contributions, and the One Health Joint Plan of Action.
She also stressed the importance of working closely with communities, strengthening scientific collaboration, and ensuring institutional reforms that will allow One Health practices to continue beyond the project's duration.
"SEARCA stands ready to work with all of you to ensure that ASEACA becomes a model for integrated, community empowering, and future-ready One Health action in the Philippines and across Southeast Asia."