• We, participants of the international symposium convened in Rongchang, Chongqing, on 25 – 26 April 2024, under the theme of Pathways to reduce the need for antimicrobials to support sustainable livestock transformation, hereby declare:
• Recognizing that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a global health and development challenge, threatening human and animal health and welfare, food security and nutrition, food safety, productivity, and the environment, as well as the livelihoods of farmers worldwide.
• Acknowledging the need to expedite progress in implementing and financing National Action Plans on AMR (NAPs), including investment and alignment with the priorities outlined in the Quadripartite One Health Priority Research Agenda for AMR of research funding thereby contributing to Agenda 2030 and its SDGs.
• Acknowledging the global strides in addressing AMR since the adoption of the Global Action Plan on antimicrobial resistance (GAP) and the commitments made by Member States in the 2016 Political Declaration, leading to the establishment of the Quadripartite (FAO, UNEP, WHO, and WOAH) and global governance structures for AMR
• Recognizing the significant effort by the agrifood sector in reducing the need for antimicrobials and the imperative to sustain and scale up these efforts from local to global levels by engaging the whole-of-society.
• Acknowledging the pivotal role of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in addressing AMR across agrifood systems through a One Health Approach, in line with the FAO’s Action Plan on AMR and the Quadripartite One Health Joint Plan of Action which includes Action Track 5 “Curbing the silent pandemic of Antimicrobial Resistance”.
• Welcoming the “Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Systems Transformation” (RENOFARM) 10-year initiative, launched by FAO as an action-oriented, country-focused -and country-led initiative responding to the global agrifood systems transformation agenda and engaging the entire production chain, from farm to fork for long-term and lasting impacts.

We commit to:

• Accelerate the implementation of National Action Plans on AMR (NAPs) by enhancing the inclusion of the food and agriculture sectors and fostering improved One Health coordination, communication, and collaboration within national multi-sectoral coordination mechanisms.
• Reduce the need for antimicrobials through integrated and comprehensive 5G interventions at farm level including
  
  
  • Support and promote Good Health Services at farm level by providing guidance on responsible and prudent antimicrobial use (AMU) and training relevant sector health service providers to support farmers in disease prevention, treatment, and responsible and prudent AMU.
  • Advance Good Production Practices at farm level by adopting and implementing good husbandry practices, optimal farm biosecurity and hygiene, optimal welfare, efficient and proper farm waste management, good seeds and genetics, adequate animal nutrition, integrated pest management, strategies to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks and minimize AMU.
  • Encourage the application of relevant Good Alternatives to antimicrobial use at farm level including vaccines, biosecurity measures, advanced and innovative feeding practices, the traditional remedies, etc.
  • Accelerate greater value chain competitiveness and agricultural outputs by promoting Good Incentives for farmers and producers, enhancing regulatory frameworks and quality control mechanisms, improving branding, certification through improved cooperation and coordination with governments and private sector operators.

• Foster Good Connection by facilitating linkages and establishing collaborative partnerships with key actors across value chains and using relevant multistakeholder mechanisms such as the AMR Multistakeholder Partnership Platforms and others, thus contributing to the sustainable livestock transformation and more sustainable, inclusive and resilient agrifood systems.

• Strengthen evidence-based policy and decision-making through improved sector-specific data-gathering, using the InFARM System and ANIMUSE platforms, leading up to integrated surveillance systems, and information-sharing, and fosteringresearch to address key agricultural environmental issues, incorporate strategies that manage the human-animal-environment interface and minimize antimicrobial resistance (AMR) transmission and residues in the environment.

• Share country and regional lessons learned and best practices from the implementation of the RENOFARM activities through the appropriate communication mechanisms and channels to enable peer exchange and mutual learning among actors.
• Promote international collaboration by sharing and widely promoting the outcomes of this Symposium in key high-level fora and events and by strategically leveraging advocacy opportunities together with partners, first and foremost the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on AMR, as well as the 4^th Ministerial Conference on AMR by convening the next international symposium on RENOFARM in 2026 in Rongchang, Chongqing, to maintain and build on the momentum, leverage insights, and disseminate and promote the use and update on lessons learned following the 2024 International Symposium.

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Related link

Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation

FAO launches global 10-year initiative to reduce the need for antimicrobials for sustainable agrifood systems transformation