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Environmental health and biodiversity

Increasing productivity in food systems 
while staying within environmental boundaries 
and maintaining biodiversity

Environmental health and biodiversity

ILRI research contributes to the CGIAR impact area on Environmental health and biodiversity. 

Agriculture is the biggest driver of forest and biodiversity loss, including of diversity crucial to healthy diets and nutrition. A third of the world’s soils are degraded, and agriculture accounts for about 70% of global freshwater withdrawals. A healthy natural environment and biodiversity are critical for the long-term sustainability of food systems, and human health.

Browse research initiatives that contribute to this impact area. 

Innovations

Environmental health and biodiversity research initiatives

Agronomy

Excellence in Agronomy for Sustainable Intensification and Climate Change Adaptation

Scientist at work

Genebanks

Crop fields

NEXUS Gains: Realizing Multiple Benefits Across Water, Energy, Food and Ecosystems

People irrigating crops

Plant Health and Rapid Response to Protect Food Security and Livelihoods

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Feedback session with broiler farmers, animal health practitioners and local leaders from Areas 18 and 49 at Glalle Garden, Lilongwe, Malawi (photo credit: ILRI/Joe Magombo).

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ILRI trains poultry farmers on responsible antibiotic use to reduce AMR in Lilongwe, Malawi

World Food forum

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OHRECA fellows secure global One Health prize with innovative proposal on wild meat

A cross-section of the panelists during the "Harnessing investments in multifunctional landscapes to deliver on the Rio Conventions" Panel held on October 25 at the 7th GLF Investment Case Symposium at COP16 in Cali, Colombia.

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How multifunctional landscapes can deliver on global biodiversity goals

Fabian Kausche, deputy director of research and innovation, ILRI, with partners and collaborators of the co-infection project (photo credit: ILRI/Geoffrey Njenga).

ILRI News

ILRI and partners conclude Rift Valley fever, brucellosis and Q fever co-infection project in Kenya

Participants during RCoP launch on Tuesday 7 May 2024 in Bamako

ILRI News

A resilient community of practice to improve collaboration in Mali

Participants at the February 2024 environment and ecosystem workshop in Hwange, Zimbabwe

ILRI News

Integrating environmental and ecosystem health into One Health – choices, contexts and communities matter

Esther Omosa, ILRI nutritionist, explaining about nutrition research at ILRI to Holger Meinke, ISDC Chair and Fetien Abera, ISDC member (ILRI/Kristen Tam).

ILRI News

CGIAR and partner collaboration: ‘We’re all singing the same song’

Related Publications

An operational framework for wildlife health in the One Health approach

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Pandemic preparedness and One Health at the wildlife–livestock interface

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WildFARM Tools: Assessment of the wildlife value chains and zoonotic risk in wildlife farms

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One Health scientific conference: International practices and lessons learned for Vietnam

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The ILRI genebank: A window to the global tropical forage biodiversity available for breeding programs

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Introduction to a new narrative for livestock and biodiversity: Livestock must be part of the solution to sustainably managing Earth’s biodiversity

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