FAO Shares Recommendation for Wildlife-Human Interaction in the Asia-Pacific

Humans and wildlife are intertwined. We rely on nature’s resources to meet our needs and develop society, but this relationship comes at a cost. Many human activities harm the natural environment. This imbalance and the resulting wildlife-human conflicts have led the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to create its first information brief on the link between wildlife, livelihoods, and health in the Asia-Pacific region.

Wildlife-Human Interaction 

Biodiversity is part of the Earth’s richness. At the same time, it is also crucial for supporting human lives, especially rural populations and Indigenous Peoples that rely on them for income generation, food security, health, and cultural practices.

The Asia-Pacific region is home to abundant biodiversity, including 20% of the world’s plant and vertebrate species, with hotspots ranging from tropical forest to alpine environment. Despite this richness, the region faces a biodiversity crisis. 

About a quarter of the unique species found in Asia and the Pacific are now at risk, while the Living Planet Index (LPI) reports a significant 55% decline in wildlife populations across the region due to illegal wildlife trade, land usage changes, and human settlement expansion. 

Now more than ever, it’s essential to shift how we interact with nature to maintain a balance between humans and ecosystems as the wildlife-livelihood-health connection is clearly visible and crucial as a framework for achieving this balance.

FAO Brief on Wildlife-Livelihoods-Health

In their recent information brief titled “The Wildlife-Livelihoods-Health Nexus: Challenges and Priorities in Asia and the Pacific“, FAO investigates the critical interaction between wildlife-livelihoods-health of humans and nature.

Rural communities that live close to nature have deep ties to their territory and the rich biodiversity it holds. Across generations, they’ve passed down valuable knowledge of gathering food, utilizing medicinal plants, and understanding the natural rhythms of their land. 

Additionally, the brief underscores the dangers posed by common zoonotic diseases to nearby populations. It further stresses the pressing need to prevent disasters and encourage sustainable coexistence between humans and wildlife. 

Therefore, FAO highlights several recommendations in the brief to maintain the wildlife-human balance: 

• Improving data collection, monitoring, and statistics on wildlife and its contribution to rural economies, food security, nutrition, and health.
• Addressing the gaps in knowledge and information about wildlife and its interlinkages with livelihoods and health in the region.
• Evaluating and supporting alternative uses of wild animals, fungi, and plants, such as wildlife farming with improved husbandry practices and hygiene standards.
• Developing guidelines for risk assessment of the impact of forest loss and degradation on infectious pathogen spread and the role of ecosystem health in mitigating pathogen spread.
• Promoting initiatives to raise awareness and modify behaviors of wildlife-dependent communities and the wider public to reduce unsustainable harvesting of wildlife species, especially those with high zoonotic disease risk.

Collaborating to Sustain Rural Communities and Preserve Balance

It is important to note that for rural communities, nature is often their only source of livelihood. So, maintaining sustainable wildlife management and spreading awareness of potential diseases transmitted among wildlife is crucial to support rural and Indigenous communities. Therefore, collaboration of stakeholders, systematic support from policymakers, and further research to develop effective strategies are essential to ensure the right strategies are implemented for the wellbeing of all.

Editor: Nazalea Kusuma