SAARC Webinar Highlights One Health Approach for Safe and Sustainable Poultry Production
Emphasizing the importance of the One Health approach in ensuring safe, sustainable, and resilient poultry production across South Asia, the regional body of SAARC, the SAARC Agriculture Centre, organized an international webinar on Monday, June 8.
The webinar, titled “Safe Poultry Production Through the One Health Approach,” brought together researchers, policymakers, academics, students, private-sector representatives, and professionals from across the SAARC region.
In his opening remarks, Dr. Md. Harunur Rashid, Director of the SAARC Agriculture Centre, said that safe poultry production is not only a matter of food security but is also directly linked to public health and environmental sustainability.
He noted that the One Health approach, which considers the interconnected health of humans, animals, and the environment, can play a vital role in addressing both current and future challenges facing the sector.
The keynote presentation was delivered by Dr. Shyam Sundar Pal, Head of the Poultry Nutrition Division at the Directorate of Poultry Research under the Indian Council of Agricultural Research. He emphasized the importance of strengthened biosecurity measures, balanced nutrition, and responsible farm management practices to enhance productivity, reduce disease risks, and build a safer poultry industry.
Jiaou Yi Tan, Senior Scientist at the National Centre for Food Science of the Singapore Food Agency, highlighted the need for coordinated efforts to improve food safety and disease prevention in the poultry sector.
She stressed that collaboration among livestock specialists, public health experts, researchers, and poultry farmers must be strengthened to minimize risks at every stage of the food supply chain.
The webinar was moderated by Dr. Md. Yunus Ali, Senior Programme Specialist (Livestock) at the SAARC Agriculture Centre.
Participants from SAARC member states as well as several other countries joined the event. According to the organizers, the strong international participation underscored the growing regional interest in safe and sustainable poultry production, while also highlighting the importance of knowledge sharing and collaborative initiatives.
Experts attending the webinar observed that integrated One Health-based strategies will be crucial in addressing emerging challenges such as climate change, the spread of animal diseases, and growing food security concerns. They believe such coordinated efforts can help make South Asia’s poultry sector safer, more productive, and more sustainable in the years ahead.
DBTech/OR
