A roadmap workshop took place on 27 April 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia bringing together all relevant stakeholders to identify their priorities for addressing foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR), as part of the “Action to support implementation of Codex AMR (ACT)” project. Held in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, the workshop was attended by 44 participants from various ministries, associations, institutes, and academia.   

“I would like to express the government’s support in the fight against antimicrobial resistance as we aim to achieve smart agriculture and our commitment towards the One Health approach,” said Sar Chetra, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.

Having already undertaken an assessment last year to identify areas where action was needed to address foodborne AMR, the goal of the workshop was to prioritize the activities to be undertaken in Cambodia.  The participants provided feedback on the urgency, feasibility, and value of the activities included in the ACT project plan focusing on AMR awareness raising, monitoring and surveillance, and governance.

Participants discuss AMR priorities during ACT workshop held on 27 April 2023 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

Dr. Tep Benthay, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, noted that the workshop was very important to support the agriculture sector. “Agriculture plays an important role to ensure food safety and security for our country’s livelihood. Foodborne AMR is a critical issue for public health, and the ACT project helps to take a step further in providing solutions to this issue,” Benthay said.

The workshop was also attended by participants working on other FAO AMR projects, such as those funded by the Fleming Fund, Multipartite Trust Fund, and USAID-supported interventions. 

“The involvement of these representatives helps facilitate cooperation and coordination of the different AMR projects in Cambodia,” said Pisey Oum, National ACT Project Coordinator in Cambodia. “It is important to build a network of stakeholders and create synergies. Under the ACT project, we have agreed on different awareness-raising activities or events, to train the trainers. Also, to expand the monitoring and surveillance programme and include imported meat, fish, and vegetables, as well as domestic terrestrial and aquaculture farms”.

The ACT project continues to engage with different stakeholders in Cambodia. Upcoming activities include celebrating World Food Safety Day on 7 June 2023, reviewing the current AMR regulations using the ACT tool, co-creating a workshop on governance, evidence, and prudent use of antimicrobials, as well as developing training programmes on how to reduce antimicrobial use in farming.  In addition, in the context of this project, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries will cooperate with private entities to collect and compile case studies from livestock farms and aquaculture facilities.

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Read about the ACT project here

Photo credit ©FAO/Cambodia

Main picture: Dr. Sar Chetra, Deputy Secretary General of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Dr. Kring Sidonn, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Health, Dr. Tep Benthay, Deputy Director of the Department of Animal Health and Veterinary Public Health at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, Peter Flanagan, Regional ACT Project Coordinator for Asia, and Pisey Oum, National ACT Project Coordinator in Cambodia.