FAO supports Kyrgyzstan in its efforts to tackle antimicrobial resistance in food and agriculture
Bishkek – Antimicrobial resistance is one of the global health challenges of our time. It also causes significant damage to livelihoods, income of agricultural producers, the food industry and national economies overall.
To help strengthen Kyrgyzstan's capacity to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) held a series of consultations in Bishkek from 2 to 4 July. The objectives of the meetings were to present the main activities and concrete results of AMR control in food industry and agriculture, as well as to exchange of views and feedback from all stakeholders.
The discussions were attended by representatives of the Ministry of Water Resources, Agriculture and Processing Industry, Ministry of Health, Veterinary Service, Research Institutes, universities and associations of Kyrgyzstan.
Excessive antibiotic use in livestock has serious public health consequences, because it’s leading to antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes that can be passed on to humans. This usually occurs when eating food, but can also occur in direct contact with animals or through environmental objects.
Ultimately, this could lead to the emergence of antibiotic-resistant infectious diseases in humans that are difficult or even impossible to treat. Furthermore, since both the trade in food animals themselves and that of food products of animal origin is global, it can lead to antibiotic resistance in countries that are far away from the countries where this problem has arisen.
FAO emphasizes that the key approach to address AMR in food and agriculture is to ensure that farm and food systems adhere to best practices for hygiene, biosecurity, and animal care and handling. This reduces the need for antimicrobial medicines in the first place - as does vaccinating farm animals to build their natural ability to withstand disease.
In line with its mandate for food and agriculture sectors and overall antimicrobial resistance (AMR) initiatives, FAO worked with the Government of Kyrgyzstan to assess and support for the establishment and the improvement of laboratory capacities and antimicrobial resistance surveillance. To this extend, an assessment mission using the FAO Assessment Tool for Laboratories and AMR Surveillance Systems (FAO-ATLASS) was conducted in Kyrgyzstan in 2019. The mission recommendations informed future planning to address urgent country needs, including i) the procurement of laboratory reagents and equipment; ii) laboratory training to detect and characterize AMR; iii) support to conduct an AMR surveillance pilot study for baseline information on the prevalence of AMR in the main livestock production systems of the country.
The results of the ATLAS assessment and the planning of the surveillance system were also a key topic during the discussions.
“AMR is among the most urgent global health threats with significant impacts on economies,” said Francesca Latronico, FAO AMR Laboratory and Research Activity Coordinator. “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.”
Following the consultation meetings, participants reiterated that combating antibiotic resistance requires a holistic, multi-agency and multi-stakeholder approach with effective coordination and information sharing between all agencies – agricultural, food, veterinary and health. FAO, in turn, will provide full support to Kyrgyzstan and its efforts to address the problems of antibiotic resistance and food safety.
