FAO in collaboration with Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) organized a meeting at Central Institute for Fisheries Technology, Kochi, India on 27-28 March 2017 to identify research priorities in veterinary sector on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). 35 researchers from livestock, fishery and human health sectors attended this meeting. Experts from FAO and USAID facilitated. The primary objective was to identify areas in which information gap is leading to inadequate policy formulation and programme development to combat AMR.

Extensive discussions led to the formulation of 25 priority research topics. These pertain to following areas:

a. Understanding magnitude of AMR, antimicrobial usage and their relationship

b. Elucidating factors responsible for emergence of resistance

c. Characterizing spread of resistance from animals to humans

d. Developing interventions to reduce transmission of resistance between animals and humans

e. Characterizing financial and behavioural components of the use of antibiotics in animals

f. Improving programme development and implementation (operational research)

 Each of the 25 suggested research priorities were summarized in four headings viz. (i) objective of research,  (ii) brief methodology, (iii) expected outcome and  (iv) potential institutes that can initiate these studies with estimated duration of each of these.

 These research proposals shall be widely disseminated by ICAR and FAO for possible implementation by researchers. 

 The participants also committed to consider undertaking implementation of these research priorities, either in their own respective institutes or in collaboration with other institutes within or outside animal health sector.

 Given the growing awareness and concern about AMR in both developed and developing countries, the outcomes of these research topics shall augment information as well as generate evidence for strengthening response to minimize impact of AMR on human and animal health.