Embedding animal welfare in the IPEA mandate: a One Health imperative for curbing antimicrobial resistance (AMR)
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FAO ; WHO ; UNEP ; World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH) ;
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This paper presents a contribution to the establishment of the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance, urging the integration of animal welfare considerations into the Panel’s mandate and structure. It highlights that the political declaration of the United Nations General Assembly on antimicrobial resistance set ambitious goals to reduce the use of antimicrobial substances in agrifood systems by 2030, while current analyses predict that the use of antimicrobial substances in livestock could rise by thirty percent by the year 2040 compared with 2019. The paper explains that, although the use of antimicrobials in animals has declined over the past decade, progress is slowing, and the administration of antimicrobials for growth promotion and routine disease prevention remains common in many countries. It presents evidence that these practices could be significantly reduced through improvements in animal welfare, including better management, housing, nutrition, handling, and preventive care, which support animal health and productivity. It further notes that the routine use of antimicrobials in intensive farming systems accelerates the emergence and spread of resistant pathogens through food, water, air, direct contact, and environmental pathways. The paper argues that integrating animal welfare science into the Independent Panel on Evidence for Action against Antimicrobial Resistance would strengthen inclusivity, systems thinking, and the relevance of the Panel’s work. It emphasises that improving the care and well being of farmed animals is essential for reducing the need for antimicrobial substances, supporting economic stability, and contributing to sustainable food systems and a more effective global response to antimicrobial resistance.