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

Antimicrobial use practices in the livestock sector in Kazakhstan

The Understanding Antimicrobial Use in Food and Agriculture series is a compilation of country reports, each describing antimicrobial use (AMU) practices and awareness of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in the livestock sector...

University curriculum assessment on the learning outcomes related to antimicrobial resistance at the Faculty of Veterinary Diagnostics and Food Safety at the Samarkand State University of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Husbandry and Biotechnology

The Strengthening Veterinary Education on Antimicrobial Resistance series compiles assessment reports of veterinary education institutions, detailing strengths and areas for improvement in the institutions’ curricula, and recommendations to enhance their education on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) [...]

University curriculum assessment on the learning outcomes related to antimicrobial resistance at the Faculty of Veterinary Prevention and Treatment at the Samarkand State University of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Husbandry and Biotechnology

The Strengthening Veterinary Education on Antimicrobial Resistance series compiles assessment reports of veterinary education institutions, detailing strengths and areas for improvement in the institutions’ curricula, and recommendations to enhance their education on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) [...]

News

Sustained momentum for the InFARM system: 2025 open call sees near-doubling of global participation and data

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) officially closed the second open call for data of the International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) system on 15 December 2025. The 2025 cycle represents a landmark year for global [...]

ACT / Cambodia Strengthens Capacity on Costing and Budgeting for its Multi Sectoral Action Plan on AMR

More than 40 government officials from Cambodia’s MOH, MAFF, MOE, and academic institutions participated in the training.

FAO experts assess risk of antimicrobial resistance spreading via food loss and waste

Technical review begins to fill a research gap and details challenges and opportunities Rome – Food loss and waste (FLW) can be a reservoir and even an accelerator for anti-microbial resistance (AMR), highlighting that it should be [...]

Multimedia

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