Building towards One Health: An Interdisciplinary Autoethnographic Approach to Understand Perceptions of Sustainable Aquatic Foods in Vietnam

Citation

Li S, Ang SY, Hunter AM, Erdem S, Bostock J, Da CT, Nguyen NT, Moss A, Hope W, Howie C, Newton R, Casteleiro MA & Little D Building towards One Health: An Interdisciplinary Autoethnographic Approach to Understand Perceptions of Sustainable Aquatic Foods in Vietnam. Sustainability.

Abstract
As Vietnam navigates the challenges of animal, human, and environmental health (One Health) during rapid economic transitions, understanding local perceptions of sustainable food systems, particularly aquatic foods, is vital. This study employs a transdisciplinary, autoethnographic approach to explore the cultural significance of aquatic food perceptions within Vietnamese communities. Data were primarily sourced through an autoethnographic triangulation method, involving detailed field diaries, vignettes, and interactive workshop data collected from local stakeholders. Our distinctive approach, involving researchers from environmental science, computer science, linguistics, political ecology, aquaculture, nutrition, human physiology, marketing, and accounting and accountability, as both participants and observers, illuminates the lived experiences that shape food perceptions within Vietnam's specific food agro-ecosystems. By embedding aquatic food perceptions within the One Health framework, we identify key intersections between human, animal, and environmental health. Through cross-disciplinary narrative analysis, our study uncovers the social, political, economic, cultural, and linguistic dimensions surrounding aquatic food perceptions at local, regional, and national levels in Vietnam. Our findings reveal nuanced understandings of aquatic foods, highlighting their role in traditional practices, economic livelihoods, and dietary health. The study highlights the necessity of an integrated transdisciplinary approach to address the complex factors influencing One Health outcomes in Vietnam. This research contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable food practices and One Health initiatives, proposing culturally informed interventions aimed at enhancing ecological resilience and public health.

Keywords
One Health; aquatic food; food perceptions; Autoethnographic Approach; interdisciplinary; Vietnam and Education consultant; Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources; An Giang University; Vietnam ORCID: 0009-0003-7082-200X

Notes
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Journal
Sustainability