From March 17 to 18, the ASEACA kick-off event was co-organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the French Embassy in Vietnam, and CIRAD. The event welcomed representatives from various local and international organizations. As one of the implementing partners of the project in Vietnam, SCDI also participated and had meaningful discussions with fellow partner organizations.

The ASEACA project is part of the PREZODE (Preventing Zoonotic Disease Emergence) initiative, funded by the French Agency for Development (AFD) and coordinated by CIRAD, aiming to strengthen research capacity and international cooperation in preventing zoonotic disease using the One Health framework.

ASEACA focuses on researching the risk factors leading to the emergence and spread of infectious diseases from animals to humans. It also analyzes the roles of ecological, socio-economic, and agricultural production factors in shaping these risks. A core objective of the project is to establish a scientific foundation for developing early prevention tools, including surveillance systems, warning alerts, and evidence-based intervention models.

Field research activities in Vietnam are expected to be implemented in Thai Nguyen and Dong Thap provinces, which represent diverse ecological zones and specialized agricultural systems.

As an implementation partner in Vietnam, SCDI will collaborate closely with relevant stakeholders in the coming period to enhance research, share data, and develop intervention models tailored to the local context, thus promoting evidence-based solutions and building a safe and sustainable health ecosystem.