Antimicrobial Resistance
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major global threat of increasing concern to human and animal health. It also has implications for both food safety and food security and the economic well being of millions of farming households.
Food plays an important role in the development and spread of AMR. The presence of AMR microorganisms in agricultural production systems and food chains is a potential route of exposure for everyone. Good hygiene practices in agriculture, fundamental in achieving food safety, are also key to addressing antimicrobial resistance.
Microorganisms (bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi) in food are potential food safety hazards. The relationship of the use of antimicrobials (agents that can kill microorganisms or stop them from growing) in food-producing animals and the emergence of resistant microorganisms in the food chain is a concern and has been the subject of numerous national and international consultations.
The extent to which the use of antimicrobial agents in food animals (including aquaculture), horticulture or humans contributes to antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms in humans varies between the different microorganisms and different regions.
When humans ingest antimicrobial-resistant microorganisms in food, some species of microorganisms may cause illness. These and other species may also serve as a source of transferable resistance determinants for other microorganisms, including human pathogens.
In recognising the need for a more general and multidisciplinary response to deal with AMR, in 2006 Codex established a first Task Force on Antimicrobial Resistance to develop science-based guidance on how to assess and manage the risks to human health associated with the presence in food and feed (including aquaculture) and the transmission through food and feed of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms. A second Task Force, recently established in response to the increased global attention to the serious threat of AMR to public health, will develop science-based guidance to enable coherent management of antimicrobial resistance along the food chain.
Other Codex texts on veterinary drugs and their residues, food hygiene, animal feed, also contribute to tackle AMR by preventing the development and minimizing the transmission of AMR through the food chain.
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CXC 61-2005 | Code of Practice to Minimize and Contain Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance | TFAMR | 2021 | |
CXG 77-2011 | Guidelines for Risk Analysis of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance | TFAMR | 2021 | |
CXG 94-2021 | Guidelines on integrated monitoring and surveillance of foodborne antimicrobial resistance
| TFAMR | 2021 | |
World Food Safety Day/ ACT Project Activities in Pakistan
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Pakistan along with local and international partners organized a national dialogue on food safety on 7 June 2024 in Islamabad.
Their Excellencies the Ambassadors to Pakistan of Denmark and Malaysia graced the occasion, as well as representatives of the Federal and Provincial Food Safety Authorities, relevant Federal Ministries, Animal Husbandry Commissioner and Chief Veterinary Officer of Pakistan, civil society, media, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Islamabad [...]
ACT/ Pilot exercise analyses AMR-related legislation in Nepal
The FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT) project has conducted a pilot exercise in Nepal to assess the country’s legislation as it pertains to Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) and Antimicrobial Use (AMU) in the country. The exercise involved an assessment tool, known as the ACT Tool, that helps to identify the strengths in a country’s legislation relevant to AMR and AMU, as well as aspects of legislation that could be improved. This tool [...]
ACT/ Success story from Pakistan now published!
The first in a new series of “Success Stories” has been published to promote the work of the FAO-implemented and Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT) project.
The story from Pakistan recounts the positive impacts of the awareness raising efforts about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) that have taken place at grassroots level, where livestock carers – who are mostly women – have learnt about the need for responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials in animals.
Each story [...]
ACT/ Bolivia pushes forward on coordinated surveillance training
In March 2024 in the Plurinational State of Bolivia, as part of the Action to support implementation of Codex AMR Texts (ACT) project plan to improve surveillance capacities in the country, a workshop was held in coordination with the country’s National Laboratories Unit (UNALAB) of the National Agricultural Health and Food Safety Service (SENASAG). Twelve professional bacteriologists working in the area of food safety and animal health from UNALAB Santa Cruz and UNALAB Cochabamba laboratories participated in the workshop, together [...]
ACT/ ToT workshop in Pakistan on Codex standards and foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
On 6 and 7 March, FAO in Pakistan, in collaboration with the Animal Husbandry Commissioner’s Office of the Ministry of National Food Security and Research, Livestock and Dairy Development Department of South Punjab and the Punjab Food Authority conducted a two-day Training of Trainers (ToT) workshop on Codex Standards and Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the city of Multan in South Punjab.
The workshop was part of a training programme taking place in the country under the FAO-implemented and Republic of [...]
In ACTion during WAAW 2023/ Highlights from six countries
The "Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT)" project leveraged World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) 2023 as an opportunity to highlight the key role of prevention in tackling the issue of drug-resistant infections transmitted through food. During WAAW 2023 the ACT project supported the Plurinational State of Bolivia, Cambodia, Colombia, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan to raise awareness about antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and foster collaboration with stakeholders.
Bolivia and Colombia prioritized strengthening inter-institutional work
In coordination with the government agencies, FAO [...]