Livestock husbandry is an important component of agricultural development in Vietnam in general and in the Mekong Delta in particular. Therefore, zoonotic transmission may be more common in the community than suggested by detection in hospitals. The objective of this project was to improve dialogue with farmers and local animal health authorities and to find effective means to communicate about zoonotic risks and appropriate antibiotic usage.

The project team set up dialogue events such as village meetings, training workshops, and group discussions. Farmers and other key community members were encouraged to speak about their perceptions of zoonotic risk. Provincial animal health/agriculture policymakers and researchers were invited to train about antibiotic usage, current policy, biosafety, and related health issues in animal production. These activities have helped to provide knowledge on zoonotic transmission risks and antibiotic usage, current policies and disease management in farming and improved understanding and trust among these stakeholders.