Antimicrobial Resistance
Key facts
•In 2019, 5 million human deaths were associated with bacterial antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide, including 1.3 million human deaths attributable to bacterial AMR (The Lancet).
•The 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.
•There are 27 different antimicrobial classes used in animals.
The Asia-Pacific Context
The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance argued that AMR could kill 10 million people per year by 2050 (AMR review). Member countries in the region are cooperating with FAO through its several AMR projects in addressing AMR and related threats in food and agriculture. FAO RAP has initiated or helped developed several guidelines, tools and activities to address AMR and promote responsible antimicrobial use.
•AMR is a major public health issue in the Asia-Pacific region:
•389 000 people deaths were attributable to bacterial AMR in south Asia in 2019 (The Lancet).
•254 000 people deaths were attributable to bacterial AMR in southeast Asia, east Asia and Oceania in 2019 (The Lancet).
•The Asia-Pacific represents important volumes of antimicrobial use in animals:
•55 279 tonnes (t) of antimicrobials were intended for use in animals in Asia, far east and Oceania in 2017 (out of 85 330 t globally) (NIH).
•Antimicrobial use leads to the emergence of antimicrobial resistant bacteria, which can be transmitted between animals, humans, plants and the environment. Thus, antimicrobial use in animals can contribute to the AMR burden in the human sector (WOAH, 2021).
Current Projects
Regional and country AMR Projects
Regional FAO-ROK ACT (AMR Codex Texts) Project (GCP/GLO/505/ROK)
Regional FAO-USAID-GHSP AMR Project (OSRO/RAS/003/USA)
Regional FAO-UK-FF AMR Project (GCP/GLO/1092/UK)
Regional Tripartite EU-AMR Project (UNJP/RAS/399/EC)
Country AMR MPTF Projects (Cambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia, Nepal)
Regional tools and resources
AMR Awareness and Advocacy
Governance