Dr. Alicia Gallardo and Dr. Javiera Cornejo were invited to join the Advisory Panel of the FAO Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems. In addition, Dr. Cornejo will participate as a panelist in a session dedicated to strengthening solutions for the production of safe, nutritious and sustainable food.
The experts from the Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (FAVET) of the University of Chile, Dr. Alicia Gallardo, President of the Aquatic Animals Commission of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OMSA), and Dr. Javiera Cornejo, Executive Director of the CASA-OMSA Collaborating Centre and academic from FAVET, were invited to join the Advisory Panel of the FAO Global Conference for Actions on One Health in Agrifood Systems, which will take place between September 21 and 23, 2026, at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in Rome, Italy.
The conference will bring together authorities, experts and representatives from governments, academia, international organizations, the private sector and civil society with the purpose of accelerating the implementation of the One Health approach in food systems, strengthening collaboration between disciplines to address challenges such as emerging diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety, and climate change climate and the sustainability of food production.
As members of the Advisory Panel, both experts will contribute to the design of the conference's scientific program, bringing their experience in animal health, aquatic health, food safety, public policies and One Health approach. Their participation will help strengthen the incorporation of scientific evidence and international experiences to promote more healthy, resilient and sustainable food systems.
This designation is a recognition of the international careers of both specialists and the contribution of FAVET and the CASA-OMSA Collaborating Centre in developing evidence-based solutions to address global challenges at the interface between human, animal, plant and environmental health.
In addition to joining the Advisory Panel, Dr. Javiera Cornejo will participate as a speaker on the panel Connecting the Dots through the Many Lenses on Safe, Nutritious and Sustainable Food, corresponding to the session "Advancing One Health Solutions for Safe and Nutritious Food", where it will share experiences on the application of the One Health approach to strengthen food safety and sustainable food production.
For the aquaculture sector, the participation of both specialists takes on particular relevance, considering the growing recognition of the One Health approach as a strategic tool to strengthen disease prevention, the responsible use of antimicrobials, the safety of aquatic origin food and the resilience of production systems against environmental and sanitary challenges.
Regarding this, Dr. Alicia Gallardo said: "The challenges that today's food systems face, such as emerging diseases, antimicrobial resistance, climate change and food safety, require integrated solutions. Being part of this Advisory Panel is an opportunity to contribute to ensuring that science and international collaboration are translated into concrete actions that improve people's health," the animals and the ecosystems. This appointment also represents recognition for the work that Chile has carried out in matters of animal health and international cooperation in aquaculture.
The presence of representatives from FAVET and the CASA-OMSA Collaborating Centre at this event reaffirms Chile's leadership in matters of animal and aquatic health and safety, as well as its contribution to the development of international policies and strategies aimed at building more secure, sustainable and resilient food systems under the One Health approach.
