Project R-15926

One Health monitoring meets the science-policy interface in tropical freshwater wetlands (Education)

Water is Life. Freshwater wetlands support exceptionally high levels of biodiversity, and provide critical ecosystem services that sustain many riparian communities ranging from water supply and fisheries to carbon storage, hydrological buffering and agricultural irrigation. However, these wetlands particularly in the Global South also harbour many types of parasites, which can negatively impact both humans, and non-human vertebrates (birds, fish, mammals, …). Inland waters and their biodiversity constitute a vital natural resource with economic, cultural, aesthetic, scientific and educational significance. However, freshwater biodiversity is rapidly declining, at an alarming rate far exceeding that of terrestrial or marine ecosystems. The One Health paradigm provides a holistic lens to explore the interconnected health of humans, animals and ecosystems, especially within and around protected or natural areas. It also addresses how the general public perceives the link between nature and health. Combined with insights into the ecology of disease agents, this approach holds significant potential for effective ecosystem and human health management. To build socially robust knowledge and to ensure that expert-derived insight leads to measurable outcomes, stakeholder involvement and the shared identification of problems and the co-production of solutions are essential. In this project, we will bring together international experts to deliver targeted capacity building in One Health monitoring of freshwater wetlands to graduate students, researchers and civil servants from the two Global South partners, one (UNILU, DR Congo) long-standing established collaborator and one (KUFOS, India) as a new partner institute for UHasselt. The complementary expertise of the teams aligned with the specific needs of the South partners, will ensure effective and reciprocal knowledge transfer. Participation, ownership, co-learning and sharing expertise are integral parts of the project. Planned workshops will serve as joint platforms for co-learning and capacity building and to translate interdisciplinary science into locally adapted wetland management strategies.

01 November 2025 - 01 November 2027