In a bid to help countries address the global threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), FAO developed an Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance 2021–2025. The Plan outlines five key areas of focus – of which one aims at supporting countries to strengthen surveillance and research for evidence-based decisions on AMR in the food and agriculture sectors. This work is now aided by the newly launched International FAO Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) system, which helps countries improve capacities to collect, collate, analyse, visualize, and effectively utilize monitoring and surveillance data on the spread of foodborne AMR.

National authorities upload data relating to foodborne AMR to the InFARM platform, those data will be analyzed and the results can inform individual countries on where to focus their regulatory efforts to contain the spread of resistant pathogens. The findings from the data analysis will also offer insights into the prevalence and global trends associated with foodborne AMR. FAO is also working with other international organizations to collate and analyse AMR data through InFARM related to human health and the environment.

InFARM was launched in June, together with a global call for data. In tandem with the launch, a training schedule was devised and, in each country, focal points (FPs) were appointed. During the months of July and August 2024, over 150 people from across the Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean regions completed training on how to use the InFARM system. The training over the summer has enhanced the skills of FPs from across the three regions, in data management, sharing, analysis and dissemination.

“During the InFARM regional workshop, we evidenced not only the importance of data for AMR surveillance in food production, but also the need to analyze these data and share the information obtained with all stakeholders in the chain. In addition, we observed how national data can guide interventions not only at the country level, but also at the regional and global levels,” said Daniel Gareca, National Equine and Bovine Health Officer for the Plurinational State of Bolivia.

InFARM and the related training was made possible through a collective fund including contributions through the Republic of Korea-funded Action to support implementation of Codex AMR texts (ACT) project and the Fleming Fund of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The ACT project is being implemented by FAO in six countries – four in Asia (Cambodia, Mongolia, Nepal and Pakistan) and two in Latin America (Colombia and the Plurinational State of Bolivia). One of the related Codex AMR texts is the Guidelines on Surveillance and Monitoring of Foodborne Antimicrobial Resistance, which directly informs capacity and training on the surveillance and monitoring needed to supply data to InFARM.

“A good information system is only useful when there is the capacity to use it. InFARM training is an example of how FAO builds synergies across projects, offering an opportunity for not only ACT countries but also others to learn how to join the InFARM system and share AMR data using its IT platform effectively, enabling them to contribute to both their own surveillance efforts and global surveillance,” said  Dr Myoengsin Choi, the ACT coordinator.

In addition, FAO personnel at the regional level have been appointed and trained so they can continue the capacity building programme in their respective regions.

“One of the great aspects of the training is that it gives countries ownership of InFARM. While FAO developed InFARM as a global information system, it is up to countries to use it, tailoring to their specific needs while contributing to generating global evidence for combating AMR in food and agriculture,” concluded Dr, Alejandro DoradoGarcia,  Animal Health Officer and coordinator of AMR surveillance global activities for the One Health and Disease Control Group at FAO.

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InFARM
The ACT Project