In its action plan on sustainable food systems, the Norwegian Government has, strongly prioritized animal and fish health and food safety under the One Health vision. This plan works as guidance for all Norwegian institutions to engage in active collaboration across all continents to achieve the SDGs by 2030.
“NVI is strongly committed to increase its international activities in promoting healthy and sustainable food systems as prioritized by our government” – says Carlos das Neves, director for research & internationalization. “To achieve this we need strong partnerships and ILRI is an absolute reference in the field of livestock health and food safety. Our institutions share a strong commitment for One Health, so I am happy we can finally formalize this collaboration”, continued Carlos das Neves.
ILRI has just established the One Health Research, Education and Outreach Centre in Africa (OHRECA) with a goal to improve the health of humans, animals, and ecosystems through capacity building, strengthening of local, regional and global networks and provision of evidence-based policy advice on One Health in sub-Saharan Africa. The centre has four thematic areas: control of neglected tropical zoonotic diseases, emerging infectious diseases, food safety and informal markets, and prevention and control of antimicrobial resistance. Funding for OHRECA is provided the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development of Germany (BMZ)
With this ILRI collaboration, NVI will increase its capacity within One Health to engage in projects in Africa and within preparedness for emerging infections. The ILRI collaboration will represent added value to NVI’s engagement in development projects such as those now being established in cooperation with the Norwegian Agency for Development – NORAD.
“As we establish OHRECA we are very happy to strengthen this work with new scientific partnerships. The memorandum now signed with the Norwegian Veterinary Institute is a very good example of how the global research community can bring One Health into action to address the many challenges we have ahead of us” – said Dr. Jimmy Smith, Director-General for ILRI.
“I am also pleased to see that this agreement is materializing already with the joint appointment of NVI senior researcher Dr. Hannah Jørgensen who will work at ILRI in Kenya for the next two years. During her stay in Kenya, she will be focusing on NVI One Health projects in Africa as well as participating in the ILRI OHRECA. By bringing NVI projects into ILRI and engaging in One Health work at ILRI, Dr. Jørgensen will bridge the two institutions, and strengthen collaborations” – concluded Dr. Carlos das Neves
- About ILRI
The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) is a non-profit institution helping people in low- and middle-income countries to improve their lives, livelihoods and lands through the animals that remain the backbone of small-scale agriculture and enterprise across the developing world. ILRI belongs to CGIAR, a global research-for-development partnership working for a food-secure future. ILRI’s funders, through the CGIAR Trust Fund, and its many partners make ILRI’s work possible and its mission a reality. Australian animal scientist and Nobel Laureate Peter Doherty serves as ILRI’s patron.
- About NVI
The Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NVI) is a national biomedical institute delivering research-based knowledge and contingency support in the fields of animal health, fish health and food safety. The aim of the Institute is to become Norway’s centre of preparedness for One Health.
The core activities of NVI comprise animal diagnostics, research, innovation, health monitoring, risk assessment, consulting and communication with users and the government. NVI is both a national and an international reference laboratory for animal diseases and foodborne diseases, and is involved in a wide range of international collaborative activities. NVI has 330 highly educated employees from more than 35 different nationalities.