Health 2020: Agriculture and health through food safety and nutrition - WHO ...
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Sector brief on
Agriculture
July 2015
Health 2020:
Agriculture and health
through food safety
and nutrition
Synergy between sectors: working
together for better agriculture and
health outcomes
Summary
The Health 2020 policy framework has diseases, including antimicrobial resistance communities, including by exploring the
been adopted by all Member States of the (AMR). By working together, the health potential of short and sustainable supply
WHO European Region in order to address and agriculture sectors can ensure policy chains and by addressing food and
Europe’s great social and health challenges, coherence and deliver a safe and nutritious nutrition insecurity;
calling upon the health sector to reach out food supply that not only contributes to • ensuring policy coherence in the produc-
to, and work with, all the various sectors good health and well-being but also fosters tion and supply of food and goods that
and parties in the continuous work of healthy communities and economies. are key to addressing one of Europe’s
improving people’s health and well-being. greatest health challenges – noncommu-
Today, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, dia- The agriculture sector can help to create nicable diseases (NCDs);
betes and chronic respiratory diseases and healthier people and communities through: • working with the health sector on inter-
their behavioural risk factors, which include national food trade issues to ensure the
unhealthy diets, overweight and obesity, • working together with the health sector best outcomes for people and commu-
account for the most preventable diseases and other areas of government to ensure nities; and
and death in the European Region. We are that safe and nutritious foods are availa- • strengthening the prevention of foodborne
also facing an emergence of new patho- ble and affordable for all; and zoonotic diseases, including AMR.
gens and the re-emergence of infectious • promoting healthy sustainable ruralKey messages
The goal of Health 2020 is to significantly improve
the health and well-being of populations, reduce health
inequalities, strengthen public health and ensure
people-centred health systems that are universal,
equitable, sustainable and of high quality.
1
Health and wellbeing are
public goods and assets for
human development that
contribute to strong, dynamic
and creative societies.
5 2
Social progress is best mea- Health and well-being are
sured by objective indicators best achieved if the whole of
of health, health equity and government works together,
well-being, and this includes and Health 2020 promotes whole-
the conditions in which people of-government and whole-of-
are born, live and work. society approaches.
4 3
Different countries, cities Health and well-being
and communities are at different can be improved and health
starting-points; each is unique and inequalities reduced, through
can pursue common goals through the right policies and working
different pathways. with other sectors.
2 Health 2020: AgricultureStrengthening the link between
health and agriculture through
food safety and nutrition
In 2012, all 53 Member States in the Ensuring the wider availability of minimally
European Region adopted Health 2020, processed foods through changes to pro-
the new common European health policy duction and supply chain practices has the
framework, and committed themselves to potential to contribute significantly to cre-
developing integrative policies that engage ating healthy and sustainable food systems.
with all sectors in addressing the social In addition, linking with the agriculture
and economic determinants of health sector is essential in preventing and con-
and well-being. The poorest members of trolling foodborne and zoonotic diseases.
our communities carry the greatest burden This is most cost-effective when addressed
of food-related diseases in terms of both early in the food chain. Strengthening the
nutrition and food safety. surveillance of foodborne and zoonotic
disease in humans is critical to informing
Linking with the agriculture sector pre- risk-based monitoring and action in the
sents an opportunity for the health sector agriculture sector. Furthermore, collabora-
to increase the supply of and demand for tion among the human and animal sectors
healthier and safer food. Agriculture policies and the environment sector is also crucial
can assist by ensuring the greater availabil- to addressing AMR.
ity and affordability of a diverse range of
healthier food and food products.
World Health Organization 3Health 2020:
a framework for action
The goal of Health 2020 is to significantly improve
the health and well-being of populations, reduce
health inequalities, strengthen public health and
ensure people-centred health systems that are uni-
versal, equitable, sustainable and of high quality.
All Member States of the WHO European Region have What makes societies prosper and flourish can also
agreed to monitor progress against six common targets: make people healthy, and policies that recognize this
have more impact. Building awareness and capacity to
make health objectives part of society’s overall socioec-
onomic and human development is essential. All policy
1. Reduce premature mortality in fields, including health, need to reform their ways of
working and use new forms and approaches to policy
the European Region by 2020 at the global, national and local levels.
2. Increase life expectancy in
the European Region
3. Reduce health inequalities in
the European Region
4. Enhance the wellbeing of the
European Region population
5. Ensure universal health coverage
and the right to the highest
attainable level of health
6. Set national goals and targets
related to health in Member States.
4 Health 2020: AgricultureSynergy between sectors:
agriculture policy as
a tool to benefit health
Strengthening the link between
agriculture and health through
food safety and nutrition
Unhealthy diets, overweight and obesity oil crops and more fruit and vegetables and based. Agriculture also plays an essential
are the leading risk factors for disease and whole grains) and the identification of new role in the fight against AMR, since the use
disability in the European Region, in par- markets for healthier and minimally pro- of antimicrobial agents in food animals can
ticular NCDs. Over 50% of the population is cessed products through logistics support promote the development and spread of
overweight in 46 of the 53 countries of the and public procurement policies. AMR, a major challenge for Europe with
Region. On average, one in three children devastating consequences.
are overweight or obese, and the European While everyone is exposed to foodborne
population rarely meets nutrition goals for health risks, it is the poor who are the Agriculture policies can contribute to good
fruit, vegetable and wholegrain consump- most exposed and vulnerable to such risks. health, for example by supporting the
tion, while ingesting too much saturated Microbiological, chemical and other hazards production of the staple foods that have
fat, salt and free sugar. Low socioeconomic in food result in significant illness and death sustained populations for generations,
groups are the most affected. Agriculture, throughout the Region, particularly among including vegetables and fruits, whole
including fisheries policies, can help to infants, children and the elderly. Foodborne grains, pulses, nuts and seeds, in addition
address these issues by ensuring the greater diseases can also have severe economic to promoting the consumption of fish,
availability and affordability of a diverse consequences for individuals, families, modest amounts of lean meat and low-fat
range of healthier food and food products. communities, businesses and countries. dairy products and to ensuring the safety
These diseases impose a substantial burden of all such essential foods. However, some
Ensuring the wider availability of on health-care systems, trade and tourism, agriculture policies can also contribute to
minimally processed foods through short markedly reduce economic productivity and unhealthy diets and unsafe food, includ-
supply chains has the potential to contrib- threaten livelihoods. We need food safety ing policies that do not address the use of
ute significantly to creating healthy and systems with a whole-food-chain and risk- antibiotics in animal husbandry and the use
sustainable food systems and to support based approach that can prevent, detect of harmful chemicals in pesticides, as well
local economies, while ensuring that agri- and respond to food safety and zoonotic as specialization in outputs that are readily
culture policies are consistent with overall events in an effective and cost-efficient way. transformed into processed foods high in
sustainable development goals and factor The agriculture sector has a crucial role in saturated fats, trans fat, salt and/or free
in the health impact. The goal is to ensure the monitoring and control of foodborne sugars. The health sector needs to work
that minimally processed foods, such as hazards in the food chain and in collabo- more closely with the agriculture sector to
fruits and vegetables, reach the consumer rating and information exchange with the address these issues.
before they go bad or are damaged. At the public health sector on its surveillance of
same time, opportunities for agriculture foodborne diseases in order to ensure that
exist through possible incentives for the the prevention and control of foodborne
production of healthier crops (e.g. healthier diseases is both more cost-efficient and risk-
World Health Organization 5Synergy between sectors:
collaboration to support
people and communities
How can the sectors
work together?
Health 2020 provides a platform for such KEY AREAS TO EXPLORE TOGETHER INCLUDE:
joint working between the agriculture and
health sectors. Working together, we have • how to ensure policy coherence between
the power to intervene in order to address agricultural policies and health objectives?
some of today’s greatest health challenges, • how to increase the availability, afforda-
including NCDs, communicable diseases bility and safety of fresh fruit, vegetables
and AMR, and to support sustainable de- and whole grains for consumers at all
velopment, while ensuring that those living income levels, including in key settings,
in urban and rural communities are able to such as schools?
access affordable safe and nutritious food. • how to work holistically with other
sectors/disciplines to detect, prevent and
control foodborne and zoonotic diseases,
including AMR?
How can agricultural policy • Support, through increased production and minimal processing,
the availability and affordability of a diverse range of nutrientdense
make a difference to health foods (fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, lean meats and
in the areas of nutrition and lowfat dairy products)
• Share data on trends in production, processes, food prices
food safety?
and commodity use by food supply chain actors
• Apply a holistic and riskbased whole-food-chain approach
• Prevent foodborne disease and zoonoses, as well as AMR
• Ensure the hygienic production, processing and distribution of foods
• Establish relevant monitoring systems in the food chain
6 Health 2020: AgricultureCollaborating to improve
food safety and nutrition
THE CHALLENGE THE RESPONSE NEEDED
Leveraging the role of agriculture in tackling Increase coordination among supply chain
NCDs and infectious diseases actors and activities to increase the supply of
and demand for safe and nutritious foods.
This includes how foods are produced, pro-
cessed, distributed and marketed
Reduce the supply and demand of key deter-
minants that increase the risk of NCDs, for
example tobacco, alcohol and food products
Ensuring food security and addressing food Joint working to increase the availability and
insecurity affordability of safe and nutritious foods
and to address the specific needs of vulner-
able groups
Ensuring that consumer protection, fair trade Support the work of Codex Alimentarius.
for foods, and health and wellbeing are cen- Ensure effective collaboration in matters
tral considerations in international trade concerning trade and investment policy
Supporting the availability of fresh, safe and Collaborate across the agriculture, health
nutritious food and education sectors and local municipal-
ities to ensure markets for fresh produce
through institutional procurement policies
Strengthening the detection, prevention and Improve monitoring and surveillance
control of foodborne and zoonotic diseases, systems through intersectoral information
including AMR sharing and collaboration and ensure up-to-
date information on the food chain and on
animal and human populations
How can health make a • Provide opportunities to promote fresh agricultural produce
as part of healthy public procurement
difference to agriculture • Clearly identify and articulate, through dietary surveys, the
in the areas of nutrition nutritional gaps (e.g. low fruit and vegetable consumption)
and, thereby, opportunities for new/expanded markets for
and food safety?
the agriculture sector
• Strengthen the surveillance and control of foodborne diseases
so as to inform and implement risk-based actions in the agricul-
ture sector in order to better prevent and respond to the most
important foodborne
World Health Organization 7Using Health 2020 as a platform
for joint work: a political mandate
and evidence base
The Health 2020 policy framework has a substitution effect between close alterna-
political mandate. It has been adopted by tives (which may be more or less healthy),
Reducing health inequalities
all European Member States and can be whereby producers and consumers could be
To reduce health inequalities, addressing
adapted to the various settings and reali- incentivized to shift towards healthier op-
the following is a good start:
ties that make up the European Region. It tions. This potential for substitution provides
describes how health and well-being can be the mechanism by which targeted agricul-
advanced, sustained and measured through ture policies could be used to encourage a
LIFE-COURSE STAGE
action that creates social cohesion, security, shift towards a healthy diet.
• Social protection for women, mothers-
a good work–life balance, good health and
to-be and young families
good education. It calls on the health sector In the European Union (EU)/European
• Universal, high-quality and affordable
to reach out to the many different actors Economic Area alone, there were more than
early-years education and care system
within and outside government and provides 310 000 reported cases of bacterial food-
• Eradication of unsafe work and access
inspiration and direction on addressing the borne disease in 2013, of which 322 were
to employment and high quality work
complex health challenges of the 21st centu- fatal. This represents only the tip of the
• Coherent and effective intersectoral
ry. The framework confirms values, is based iceberg, as most cases of foodborne disease
action to tackle inequalities at older ages
on evidence and identifies strategic direc- are not reported due to limitations of the
tions and essential actions. It builds on the surveillance systems. Evidence from both
WIDER SOCIETY
experiences gained through previous Health research and practice demonstrates that
• Improved social protection, according
for All Policies and guides the actions of both addressing foodborne and zoonotic diseases
to need
Member States and the Regional Office. early in the food chain can have a signifi-
• Co-creation and partnership with those
cant impact on these diseases appearing in
targeted, civil society and civic partners
The framework addresses Europe’s big the human population. In 2010, FAO, the
• Action to reduce social exclusion
social and health challenges; including World Organisation for Animal Health and
• Gender equity approach
inequalities, NCDs and infectious disease WHO jointly agreed on a concept to share
threats. Health 2020 has been informed by responsibilities and coordinate global activi-
BROADER CONTEXT
unprecedented research and review pro- ties to address health risks at the animal-hu-
• Promoting equity through tax and trans-
cesses and serves as a distillate of the world manecosystems interfaces. AMR is an area
fer payments
public health knowledge. where there has been evidence of success-
• Long-term planning through links with
ful collaboration between sectors, including
other policies
A safe and nutritious food supply is essential health and agriculture. For example, an
for good health. The joint FAO/WHO World EU-wide ban on the use of antibiotics as
SYSTEMS
Declaration on Nutrition of 1992 states growth promoters in animal feed entered
• Greater coherence across sectors
that “… access to nutritionally adequate into effect on 1 January 2006 because of
• Comprehensive responses
and safe food is a basic individual right”. public health risks. Such intersectoral assess-
• Regular reporting and public scrutiny
Unfortunately, both malnutrition and food- ment and action should continue and be
borne diseases, including the rise of NCDs, strengthened in future collaboration.
constitute a significant challenge to the
European Region. Health 2020 sees agriculture as a co-pro-
ducer of health; a policy area with owner-
Research has demonstrated that aspects of ship over consumable goods that are key
agriculture and food supply chain policies determinants of health; an employer of a
can affect people’s diets and their risk of workforce that is too often vulnerable and
NCDs by influencing the availability and at risk; a key influencer on the immediate
affordability of food, both as an input for and wider environment; and a partner in
the food industry and as an endproduct striving for investment in governmental poli-
offered to consumers. This can encourage a cies that are coherent in their policy goals.
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