One Health recognizes that animal, human, and environmental health are interconnected and must be addressed collaboratively to improve global wellbeing. Land O’Lakes Venture37 puts One Health at the center of our work in agriculture, believing that by ensuring that these three global needs are met, we can then meet our goal of helping communities thrive through agriculture and ensure abundant food, and unlimited potential for people around the world.

Our Approach 

An estimated 60% of human infectious diseases stem from animal origin, and recent events continue to illustrate we cannot protect human health by operating in a vacuum. Land O’Lakes Venture37’s farmer-to-fork approach positions the relationship between human, animal, and environmental health as an integral part of our programs. We leverage our affiliation with Land O’Lakes, Inc. and over 40 years of experience in livestock and international development to address health threats and prevent disruptions to the food system. Using this private-public and comprehensive approach, we work to create resilient and sustainable agricultural systems and mitigate threats caused by transboundary and disease outbreaks, decreasing the impact to communities around the world who face rising instances of food insecurity, malnutrition and economic instability based on these threats. 

Venture37 works with local partners and farmers to conduct trainings and establish farm management processes that address key One Health issues, such as the transmission of disease between animals and humans (zoonoses), overuse of antimicrobials in livestock, food safety and quality for animal source foods, and the mitigation of climate risks. By focusing our efforts on the farm, Venture37 ensures that biosecurity, animal welfare and environmental well-being are prioritized from the start of the food system. This in turn creates a beneficial environment for both humans and animals that serves as a foundation for positive interactions throughout the food system, from start to finish.  

Areas of Focus 

Preventing the spread of Zoonoses

Through improved surveillance systems, early detection of zoonotic diseases, and biocontainment, we work with farmers to prevent and control zoonotic diseases, starting at the community level. Our approach involves a wholistic view of animal health– by ensuring an animal has appropriate nutrition, preventative veterinary care, housing and breeding, zoonotic and transboundary diseases can be prevented and controlled. 

 

Addressing Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR)

We build capacity in animal health and proper disease prevention, enabling farmers and community veterinarians to care for livestock and use anti-microbials appropriately. In this, we prevent AMR in livestock and in humans who consume animal source food. 

Food Safety and Quality

We work to ensure food quality and safety to reduce foodborne illnesses through training and infrastructure development for proper dairy and livestock handling across the value chain. By working with market actors in food safety certifications and processes, we help ensure that when the food reaches the consumer, it is safe for consumption. 

Climate Smart Agriculture  

We work with farmers to adopt climate smart agricultural practices to reduce environmental impact and move on a pathway toward net zero. 

Industry Innovations

We leverage Land O’Lakes enterprises to bring innovations and insights to animal health, nutrition, and environmental sustainability. Our affiliation to Land O’Lakes and experience in over 80 countries gives us the ability to scale and address One Health in multiple value chains and countries around the world, working in both small scale and industrial, country-level capacities. 

Case Examples

Kenya Nourishing Prosperity Alliance (KNPA)

KNPA empowers smallholder dairy farmers by increasing animal productivity and incomes, while considering animal welfare and environment. Farmer trainings on how to effectively screen, report and treat animal disease help to strengthen local disease surveillance systems and proper procedures to keep all animals and their caregivers healthy. Improved production and storage of forage also enable farmers to prevent contamination of feed and mitigate the environmental impact caused by dairy farming. 

Georgia SQIL Program

Alongside the local private sector, we work with the government of Georgia and dairy and livestock agribusinesses to improve food safety and quality protocols, build consumer awareness around food safety and quality, and enable market actors to develop infrastructure and capabilities in food handling, storage, and transportation to ensure that food systems operate properly and benefit the consumer. By the end of this project, over 54, 000 individuals will receive agricultural productivity and food security training and $10 million in new public and private investments will be leveraged. 

Public Private Partnership for Artificial Insemination Delivery (PAID) 

PAID addresses artificial insemination delivery challenges in Ethiopia and Tanzania with the goal of building inclusive growth of the dairy sector. PAID focuses on improving dairy cattle productivity and nutrition, utilizing genetics and whole-farm management training to help reduce production loss, mitigate environmental risks, and reduce the likelihood of bacterial infections such as mastitis, which is the primary source of anti-microbial resistance in cattle.