Antimicrobial Resistance

About AMR

What is it?
What is it?
FAO's role
FAO's role
Who we are
Who we are
Key sectors
Key sectors

Antimicrobial drugs are key in the treatment of diseases, and their use is essential to protect both human and animal health. However, antimicrobials misuse in the livestock sector, aquaculture and crop production is a major concern as a risk for emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistant micro-organisms.

Key facts

In 2019, 5 million human deaths were associated by bacterial antimicrobial resistance worldwide, including 1.3 million human deaths attributable to bacterial AMR (The Lancet)

27 different antimicrobial classes used in animals

Total global animal health market in 2011 was equivalent to USD 22 billion (OECD)

118 countries reported quantitative data on antimicrobial use in animals between 2015 and 2017, an increase from 89 reporting in 2015

Publications

Implementing the global action plan on antimicrobial resistance

This second biennial report provides an overview of global and national progress in implementing the Global Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance. It reflects the collective efforts of countries and the Quadripartite organizations to translate commitments [...]

The International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) System: Report on early implementation (2023-2024)

This report covers the early implementation period 2023–2024 during which The International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) System progressed from IT platform beta testing to operational global implementation.

Report on early implementation of the InFARM system (2023-2024): Highlights

This document presents selected highlights from FAO’s first report on early implementation of the International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) system, making its key findings more accessible to a wider audience.

News

Call for Interest for the Designation as FAO Reference Centre for Reducing the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation (RENOFARM)

FAO is seeking suitable institutions that are interested in being designated as Reference Centres for “Reducing the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation (RENOFARM)” to support FAO and its Members in [...]

FAO launches 2026 data call to strengthen global action on antimicrobial resistance

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched the 2026 annual call for data submission to the International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) System, inviting national authorities responsible for antimicrobial resistance [...]

World AMR Awareness Week 2026

World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) is a global campaign to raise awareness and increase understanding of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and to promote global action to tackle the emergence and spread of drug-resistant infections. WAAW is observed annually [...]

Multimedia

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