FAO Developing InFARM Platform for Surveillance of AMR in Food and Agriculture
Credit: Lukas Hartmann (lukas-hartmann-304281) via Pexels
To collect food and agriculture-related antimicrobial resistance (AMR) data that could help mitigate public health risks, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is developing the International Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (InFARM) platform. The first version of the platform launched in November 2022, and FAO is seeking feedback from countries to incorporate in the final version.
Gathering AMR surveillance information across the food chain is necessary for countries to tackle AMR. Such information allows for response to AMR risks before they become large-scale emergencies. AMR evidence is crucial for designing and monitoring control programs and for guiding the implementation and evaluation of AMR interventions.
However, in many countries, AMR data is not often analyzed or used as a basis for decision-making. InFARM will address this issue by strengthening national capacities for AMR surveillance and monitoring in food and agriculture.
The InFARM data platform will provide a standardized approach to collecting, analyzing, interpreting and sharing AMR data concerning animals and food. The final version of the platform will launch in 2023; at present, interested countries are reviewing the first version and providing feedback.
InFARM will support global AMR surveillance efforts that are coordinated by the Quadripartite, which comprises FAO, the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Data from InFARM, as well as from WHO’s GLASS platform WOAH’s ANIMUSE platform, will be shared regularly to a Quadripartite integrated surveillance global platform. InFARM is also part of the Codex Alimentarius AMR Texts (ACT) project, which involves FAO assisting governments in gathering data on antimicrobial use and resistance in the food chain to make risk management decisions.
For more information regarding InFARM, contact FAO-AMR-InFARM@fao.org.
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