Tackling antimicrobial resistance in food and agriculture

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) leads the global response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the food and agriculture sectors. Its work in response to the many challenges of AMR is currently guided by the FAO Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021–2025. This first report on FAO’s contribution to the global response to AMR outlines a wide range of activities undertaken by FAO at global, regional and country level.

This report:

• describes FAO’s role in the global governance of AMR;

• provides an overview of progress on implementing national action plans on AMR in agrifood systems;

• highlights key activities undertaken to implement the FAO Action Plan on AMR 2021–2025; and

•  flags key challenges and opportunities related to AMR in the food and agriculture sectors.

The AMR response in the food and agriculture sectors requires more and better evidence, more informed, more widespread interventions to reduce the threat of AMR, greater resources, stronger capacity and more robust governance to ensure effective stakeholder engagement and sustained commitment and action based on the One Health approach to reduce AMU, particularly at country level.