FAO supports Tajikistan in tackling antimicrobial resistance in food and agriculture
Dushanbe, 11-14 April 2023 - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently organized a series of consultations for national stakeholders from the veterinary sector in Dushanbe, Tajikistan to advance in tackling Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in agrifood systems.
The event brought together stakeholders from national counterparts and international organizations, with FAO experts sharing global, regional, and national initiatives to reduce AMR through a One Health approach. Participants also discussed the results of the recent antimicrobial use (AMU) survey among farmers, veterinarians, veterinary pharmacies and feed mills, and an AMR surveillance pilot study in Tajikistan's main livestock production systems.
The meetings focused on discussing the results of key activities carried out in Tajikistan on AMU and AMR in livestock production, the roadmap to address the recommendations from the last national assessment of AMR detection and monitoring capacities using the FAO Assessment Tool for Laboratories and AMR Surveillance Systems (FAO-ATLASS), and a consultation for the establishment of a national AMR laboratory network for food and agriculture sectors.
The meetings included technical group discussions on current challenges and possible solutions to improve responsible AMU and reduce AMR. Participants agreed on a performance improvement plan and strategized a time-bound approach.
“AMR is among the most urgent global health threats with significant impacts on economies. The workshops that gather stakeholders to control the emergence and spread of AMR are crucial for sharing information and planning the next steps. This week's discussions have generated clear proposals to advance the national AMR surveillance strategy and a laboratory network for food and agriculture. All will contribute together with the efforts in human and environmental sectors, following a One Health approach, to curb the threat of AMR”,– said Francesca Latronico, FAO AMR Laboratory coordinator.
The activities were conducted as part of the FAO Action Plan on AMR 2021-2025, and specifically under the FAO project, "Reducing the Advance of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Food and Agriculture," which seeks to assist in the establishment and improvement of laboratory capacities and AMR surveillance and coordinate strategic advocacy on the risks related to AMR for humans, food, animals, plants, and the environment.
By bringing together national and international stakeholders, FAO coordinates strategic advocacy on the risks related to AMR for agrifood systems. FAO will continue working closely with the government of Tajikistan, as well as international partners, to support the implementation of the country's national action plan on AMR. This will involve improving animal husbandry practices to reduce the need for antimicrobials in farms, building laboratory capacity and an AMR surveillance system in the food and agriculture sectors.
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