Without decisive action, global antimicrobial use in livestock is expected to rise by around 30 percent by 2040 under a business-as-usual scenario. This further contributes to the emergence and spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), one of the most significant long-term threats facing global health, food security, and economic stability. Responding to this challenge requires something that has long been missing: reliable and comparable data on where resistance is emerging, how it is evolving, and where action is most urgently needed.

FAO has taken a major step toward filling that gap. The Organization has published the first early implementation report of the International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) System.  The report covers the 2023–2024 period, documenting InFARM’s transition from piloting to global implementation and the launch of its first global open call for AMR data.

At the time of publication, two annual open calls have been completed, engaging 80 countries across FAO regions. This growing participation confirms strong country demand for a common global mechanism to report, interpret and use AMR data in animals and food.

A first baseline for global reporting

The report describes how InFARM was designed, validated and operationalized, and what the first open call revealed about the maturity of national AMR surveillance systems. It provides an initial baseline on country participation, surveillance governance, laboratory and epidemiology practices, data management capacities and the types of AMR data currently being generated.

For the first time, countries are reporting AMR data from farms, veterinary laboratories, slaughterhouses and food retail chains through a common framework developed by FAO. This is an important step towards more harmonised AMR data across countries and over time, helping to identify where action, investment, and capacity development are most urgently needed.

The report is candid about what remains to be done. In many countries, the institutions and processes needed to translate data into policy decisions are still being strengthened. Funding for national AMR surveillance programmes remains insufficient, and critical sectors, including aquaculture, one of the world’s fastest-growing food industries, remain underrepresented in the data submitted so far.

These gaps are not reasons for pessimism. They provide a roadmap for targeted investment, capacity development, and political commitment.

What's next?

This first report is the beginning of a regular reporting series through the InFARM system. As annual open calls progress and more data is received, FAO is working on the next InFARM report, which is expected to support more robust estimates of AMR prevalence and trends.

This stepwise approach is central to InFARM’s purpose: to help countries move from data generation to data use. By reporting both AMR data and surveillance capacity gaps, InFARM supports countries in strengthening their national systems while contributing to a growing global evidence base.

A call to Members

FAO encourages all Members that have not yet enrolled in InFARM to do so and calls on governments to embed AMR surveillance in animals and food within their national action plans, supported by clear mandates, sustainable funding, and dedicated technical capacity.

The evidence is clear: countries with formal national surveillance strategies are better positioned to protect their agricultural sectors, their food exports, and their populations.

AMR cannot be addressed by any single country acting alone. InFARM provides a common mechanism for countries to contribute to, and benefit from the evidence base that supports action where it is needed most.

The full report is available at https://doi.org/10.4060/cd9731en.

A summary of the key findings is available at https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cd9944en.

For further information on participation, please visit the InFARM webpage or contact [email protected].