FAO reinforces regional efforts to curb antimicrobial resistance at Moscow food safety conference

As the world marks World AMR Awareness Week, 18–24 November, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) reaffirmed its strong commitment to tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across Europe and Central Asia during the closing day of the second International Conference on Food Safety and Joint Efforts to Reduce Antimicrobial Resistance.

The event was held with FAO technical support under the auspices of Rospotrebnadzor, the Federal Service for the Oversight of Consumer Protection and Welfare of the Russian Federation. The two-day conference united experts, officials and scientists to discuss practical steps for reducing AMR in food and agriculture systems.

Antimicrobial resistance is increasingly recognized as a major threat to human health, animal production and food security. When bacteria and other microbes become resistant to medicines, treating infections becomes more difficult and costly, affecting farmers, consumers and public health systems alike. The region’s governments have been accelerating action to strengthen food safety controls, monitor antimicrobial use and reduce the spread of resistant microbes along the food chain.

FAO has supported this conference since its first edition, reflecting its long-standing role in building regional capacity on AMR. This year, the Organization contributed seven expert interventions throughout the two-day hybrid meeting. Oleg Kobiakov, Director of the FAO Liaison Office with the Russian Federation provided opening remarks stressing the need for coordinated One Health action across human, animal, plant and environmental sectors.

FAO specialists presented several key tools and initiatives. Mary Kenny, FAO Regional Food Safety Officer provided an overview of current food safety challenges in the region, noting the growing importance of clear legal and policy direction, reliable surveillance systems, and coordinated actions and collaboration across ministries and agencies, as key elements of robust food control systems. Esther Dsani highlighted the Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms for Sustainable Agrifood Systems Transformation (RENOFARM) initiative, which helps farmers improve livestock management and biosecurity and thus reduce the need for antimicrobials. Francesca Latronico introduced the expanding network of FAO Reference Centres for AMR, which supports countries with technical and scientific expertise.

On the second day, Masami Takeuchi showcased FAO’s Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods (RVDF) Tool, designed to help countries assess their laboratory capacity to analyse and monitor veterinary drug residues in food. Daniel Beltran-Alcrudo from the FAO Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, presented two field-oriented interventions: an AMR surveillance pilot in the agricultural sector in Kyrgyzstan and ongoing work to strengthen veterinary education on antimicrobials and AMR across the region.

These contributions build on years of FAO’s regional engagement, including work conducted with Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan from 2017 to 2024 under a project funded by the Russian Federation that helped strengthen laboratory capacity, develop regulatory frameworks for antimicrobial use, build awareness among veterinarians and farmers, and establish a regional laboratory network on antimicrobial resistance in food and agriculture.

Building on the above efforts, FAO is currently implementing a new multicountry project under the Pandemic Fund, hosted by the World Bank, titled Pandemic Preparedness and Response through a One Health Approach in Europe and Central Asia. The project covers the Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. This newer initiative explicitly builds on earlier work by placing AMR measures – including enhanced surveillance networks and laboratory strengthening – at the centre of a broader One Health framework focused on food systems resilience and pandemic prevention.

As this year’s conference concluded – fittingly within World AMR Awareness Week – participants emphasized the importance of sustained cooperation and evidence-based action. FAO confirmed its continued readiness to support countries in building safer and more resilient agrifood systems that protect public health and ensure that antimicrobials remain effective for future generations.