The lecture makes three key points. First, it starts with describing global circuits of capital in relation to husbandry and land use for livestock systems in order to explain the phenomenon of unequal ecological exchange. In this section, the idea of structural one health is introduced. Second, we discuss the role of economic liberalisation in creating the industrial livestock disease complex. Here the lecture highlights the role of international development aid and international finance institutions, such as the World Bank and International Monetary Funds, in promoting intensive farming systems. The case of Cameroon and the Bank’s policies for veterinary services is discussed. Third, in an attempt to move focus from the macro systems to meso, we discuss global value chains (GVC). Here four subpoints are highlighted – a) role of flex crops in industrial livestock complex, b) economies of scale in new production practices, c) “value addition” and d) rise of private quality standards. Special attention is paid to poultry systems in China and fish production in Tanzania. The lecture contributes to political economy research on the socio-economic underpinning of biological discourse.

By the end of the lecture the students will be able to:

1. Draw linkages between global capital, livestock value chains and disease outbreaks
2. Recognise the interconnections between economic liberalisation and global public health inequities
3. Analyse the phenomenon of unequal ecological exchange for a country of their choice
   
4. Describe global value chain (GVC) analysis approach