The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Wildlife Asia activity is promoting the One Health approach by protecting biodiversity to safeguard and promote human and environmental health in China, Thailand and Vietnam. As a subcontractor to the project’s prime contractor, RTI International, FHI 360 is using innovative consumer research and social and behavior change communication (SBCC) strategies to design, implement and evaluate initiatives aimed at reducing demand for wildlife products and improving the coordination of regional demand reduction activities to end wildlife crime and trafficking in China and Southeast Asia. The SBCC demand reduction component of this project, led by FHI 360, was awarded the USAID Regional Development Mission for Asia’s “Best of Results 2020.”
Global wildlife trafficking has led to the loss of wildlife and biodiversity in China and Southeast Asia and has greatly increased the illegal trade of wildlife and of wildlife parts and products. In line with its commitment to the One Health approach, FHI 360 is working closely with local partners to:
- Conduct research on consumer demand of wildlife products in China and Thailand.
- Implement four SBCC demand reduction campaigns in China and Thailand.
- Train more than 360 government and nongovernmental organization officials in China and Thailand on planning SBCC campaigns.
- Engage spiritual leaders through the International Network of Engaged Buddhists to reduce demand for illegal wildlife products in Thailand.
- Produce an SBCC demand reduction guidebook to help others plan, implement and evaluate campaigns.
- Organize three meetings of the Demand Reduction Steering Group in Thailand to promote collaboration and discuss the links between protecting biodiversity and human and environmental health.
- Help organize a workshop to design a wild meat demand reduction campaign in Thailand.
- Prepare an SBCC framework to raise awareness of the risk of zoonotic diseases in wildlife trade.
