Thanawat Tiensin
Assistant Director-General, Director, Animal Production and Health Division and Chief Veterinarian, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health crisis, and sustainable farming practices are essential to reduce its spread. Farms and agrifood systems are pivotal in shaping how we address this challenge.
Agriculture, particularly the prudent and responsible use of antimicrobials in livestock, plays a significant role in addressing AMR. Farms are often the first point of contact where antibiotics are used to prevent and treat diseases in animals.
However, overuse and misuse of these drugs contribute to the growing resistance and lead to failure of treatments, which has direct implications for human, animal, plant and environmental health. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), addressing AMR at the farm level requires immediate and coordinated action.
Sustainable farming practices to combat AMR
To reduce the risk of AMR, farms need to adopt sustainable agricultural practices. This includes improving animal health through better hygiene, biosecurity and vaccinations, therefore reducing the need for antibiotics. Additionally, it involves adopting alternatives to antibiotics, such as alternative feeds and integrated pest management (IPM). FAO’s initiatives, such as Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation (RENOFARM), highlight the importance of educating farmers, veterinarians and animal health workers on responsible antimicrobial use and promoting stricter regulations to curb misuse. These will ultimately lead to a minimised and controlled AMR emergence and spread in food and agriculture.
AMR is not just a farming
issue; it is deeply embedded
in the wider agrifood systems.
Systems approach: connecting agrifood systems and policy
AMR is not just a farming issue; it is deeply embedded in the wider agrifood systems. A One Health approach, which integrates human, animal plant and environmental health, is vital in managing AMR. Effective policies are required at the national and international levels to ensure proper oversight of antimicrobial use in agriculture. Collaborative efforts from policymakers, farmers consumers, among other key stakeholders, are crucial to safeguard the efficacy of antimicrobials for future generations.
Food security for the future
As the global population grows, the demand for animal-based products increases, raising the stakes in the fight against AMR. By supporting sustainable agrifood systems and enforcing stricter regulations on antimicrobial use, we can protect the health of humans, animals, plants, and the environment. The responsibility lies with all of us — farmers, consumers and governments — to take proactive steps toward reducing the threat of AMR and ensuring food security for the future.
