Responsible Antimicrobial Use in Agrifood Systems

Topic Description

Antimicrobials are medicines and other substances used to prevent or treat infections caused by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and parasites. In agrifood systems, they play an important role in protecting the health of livestock, farmed fish and, in some cases, plants. When animals become sick, for example, antimicrobials may be necessary to treat disease, protect animal welfare and prevent infections from spreading. However, the overuse or misuse of antimicrobials can contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which occurs when microorganisms change in ways that allow them to survive medicines that previously killed or controlled them. As resistance increases, infections become more difficult to treat.

AMR is therefore both a health and an agrifood-system challenge. Resistant microorganisms can develop and spread among animals, people, food and the environment. They can also move across national borders through travel, trade, waterways and food supply chains. Increasing resistance can make animal diseases harder and more expensive to treat, reduce agricultural productivity, threaten farmers’ livelihoods and create food-safety risks. Addressing AMR consequently requires a One Health approach, which recognizes that the health of people, animals, plants and the environment are interconnected.

A central challenge is how to reduce unnecessary antimicrobial use without preventing farmers from treating sick animals or controlling serious disease outbreaks. FAO therefore emphasizes reducing the need for antimicrobials as well as ensuring their responsible use when they are necessary. Farms with better hygiene, animal nutrition, vaccination, disease surveillance, veterinary services, biosecurity measures that prevent diseases from entering or spreading on farms, and appropriate housing and animal-care practices can prevent infections before treatment becomes necessary. Similar approaches in aquaculture include better water quality, disease prevention and responsible use of veterinary medicines.

Governments also need effective systems for regulating antimicrobial sales and use, training veterinarians and farmers, monitoring how antimicrobials are being used, and tracking where resistant microorganisms are emerging. These capacities vary considerably among countries. FAO therefore supports countries in strengthening national AMR action plans and collecting better information through initiatives such as the International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) system.

Through its RENOFARM initiative, FAO is encouraging countries to transform agricultural production so that healthier animals and better farming practices reduce dependence on antimicrobials. Delegates should consider how governments can protect animal health, food security and farmers’ livelihoods while reducing unnecessary antimicrobial use; what rules should govern when and how antimicrobials are used; how countries can improve disease prevention, surveillance and veterinary services; and what financial and technical assistance lower-resource countries and small-scale producers may need to make these changes.