What drives Sakar Shivakoti’s passion for stopping foodborne AMR?

With World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW) upon us, we wish to put a spotlight on one of the ways FAO is seeking to improve food safety. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global threat of increasing concern to human, animal and plant health with implications for food safety and food security as well as the livelihoods of millions of farming households. The way food is produced can be a factor in the development and spread of AMR.

As part of his awareness-raising activities during WAAW, Sakar Shivakoti, FAO National Coordinator, spoke with us about coordinating the Action to Support Implementation of Codex AMR Text (ACT) project in Nepal. He shared his views on his work, life and enthusiasm for helping young people understand the importance of sustainability in agrifood production.

• Can you tell a bit about your personal background?

I am Sakar Shivakoti from Kathmandu, Nepal. I am 44 years old and live with my family of four including my mother, my wife and baby girl, who is 15 months old. I graduated with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry in 2002 from a university in Nepal and did a PhD in Veterinary Medicine in Japan in 2010 with a MEXT scholarship from Japan. After a little more than a decade exploring my interest and passion in academic research in the United States of America and China, I came back to Nepal in 2019 to contribute with my expertise and experience to safeguard public health, uplift the livestock production system, improve disease management and support sustainable approaches to enhance the agrifood system and food security in the nation. I joined FAO Nepal in 2021 and since last year have been working as national project coordinator for the ACT project.

• ·         How did you become an advocate for food safety and stopping foodborne AMR?

Being a veterinarian, it was always my passion to improve the agrifood system of Nepal especially in livestock production and disease management which affect food safety and public health. In Nepal, an agriculture-based country where the livestock sector plays a vital role in the economy as well as livelihoods, scaling up animal-sourced food production, increasing demand and modernization have hiked up the use of antibiotics in an unscrutinized way. Additionally, to promote food safety and support the reduction and containment of AMR, especially foodborne AMR, it is paramount that we reach out to all levels of the food chain, and here we also have an opportunity to work on policies. The ACT project supports the implementation of Codex standards relevant to foodborne AMR in the nation and the integrated surveillance and monitoring system for foodborne AMR, and I believe I can really contribute to improvements in these areas.

• Could you tell us a bit about the long-term vision/objective of the project you are working on?

The ACT project is working towards an integrated approach for surveillance of AMR and AMU (antimicrobial use) by bringing the multiple relevant sectors together, who have been contributing separately on their own. This modality will eventually help us to head forward as envisioned in Nepal’s National Action Plan on AMR. This project could not only raise awareness on the importance of Codex standards implementation in the nation to tackle foodborne AMR but will also make the relevant stakeholders aware of the importance of stopping/phasing out growth promotion in the livestock and poultry production system backed up by policies and legislation built on scientific evidence and thorough discussion.
I also believe that this project will help build the human resources and institutional capacity to tackle foodborne AMR. In the long run, this project has high potential to help the government in urging the prudent and responsible use of antibiotics, finding alternatives to antibiotics and the adoption of efficient husbandry measures to minimize the need to use antimicrobials, ultimately helping the nation in stabilizing food safety, promoting fair practices in international trade and safeguarding human and animal health.

• What inspires you about this role in the project?

That I can support the government in bringing the food sector on the right track which can lead to an environment where people can have access to safe food, healthy life and secure economy. I feel that my role as a National Project Coordinator for the ACT project has a huge responsibility to bring all the sectors together to work hand-in-hand to do our best on the containment and reduction of foodborne AMR in the nation and have a sustainable impact in the future. This is a win-win approach where we can safeguard both human and animal health, use global standards for fair practices in international trade and rejuvenate the economy.

• Why is it important to raise the awareness of young people about foodborne AMR?

Youth are the future workforce of the nation. Not only are they eager and quick to learn, but they are also always interested to explore and transcend limits. I believe, if we can help youth feel responsible to contribute to society, they will spread the word and act accordingly to make a huge difference when they become the ACTors in society and lead the nation.

• Who, in your view, needs to know about food safety, in the context of a sustainable food system?

Food safety is everyone’s business. Only one sector taking the load is not going to work. All the stakeholders need to know about it and play their respective roles to bring about change. From producers and distributers to students, health professionals, competent authorities and all the One Health partners, including day-to-day consumers, everyone needs to know about food safety and its impact on public health.

• What advice would you give a younger version of yourself?

I wish while growing up I was more aware of the ongoing situations in the world that could impact the future of my and upcoming generations. I had a very nice upbringing and believe that I managed to keep my life on the path that I wanted to follow but looking back now I think that I could have been more proactive.

Visit the FAO in Nepal website

Read more about FAO’s work on antimicrobial resistance

See the ACT project page

Photo: © FAO/Jorge Pinto Ferreira