Over the next few decades, we will face a number of distant global challenges around food production and health. Traditional approaches need to be challenged and a more holistic approach to these challenges needs to be taken that bridge animal health, human health, agriculture, the environment and social science. For future planetary health we will require solutions for healthy food production and ways to combat significant threats such as antibiotic resistance. In this lecture I will explore developing a “one health” approach to global challenges, the role of the veterinarians in leading this and how interdisciplinarity will shape the support required for an ever-increasing world population.