National Consultation: Reducing Antibiotic Use through Preventive Approaches for Sustainable Poultry Production Systems

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a ‘silent pandemic’; it is expected to have severe impacts on health, food security, livelihood and attainment of sustainable development goals. Use of antibiotics in food systems is recognised as a key driver of AMR. In the poultry sector (broilers and layers), this includes indiscriminate use of antibiotics that are critically important for humans – this needs to be checked and controlled. It also includes non-therapeutic antibiotic use for promoting growth or for mass disease prevention. Poultry farm waste is also considered a pathway of AMR emergence and spread.

However, the sector is important for livelihoods, nutrition and economy, and its growth should be sustainable. One important approach to reduce antibiotic misuse could be to focus on preventive measures like vaccination, biosecurity, housing systems, breeds, feed, alternatives to antibiotics and nutritional alternatives. Another approach could be to move towards non-intensive systems like backyard poultry farming which are not excessively dependent on chemicals. There are, however, challenges linked to availability of solutions, their cost and scalability.

With growing global momentum to reduce antibiotic misuse in food-animal production, several countries are taking measures. In 2022, 47 countries, including India, committed to Muscat Manifesto targets on reducing antimicrobial use in agri-food systems. Similarly, countries are expected to commit to bold and specific outcomes from the upcoming high-level meeting on AMR at the United Nations General Assembly 2024. The draft political declaration expected to be adopted in this meeting also emphasizes on importance of prevention. This would, therefore, mean greater efforts and movement towards reducing antibiotic misuse in food production systems, including poultry.

CSE is organising a one day consultation to discuss best practices, challenges and possibilities with respect to science, policy, implementation and scalability; and the way ahead in reducing antibiotic use in the poultry sector in India. It would be a closed-door discussion with about 40 stakeholders from across the country, the outcome of which will help generate greater collective understanding for future course of action. It will also inform CSE’s ongoing research for a report on the issue which will be shared with national and state level stakeholders.

FOR ANY OTHER DETAILS, PLEASE CONTACT

RASHMI MINOCHA
Deputy Programme Manager
Sustainable Food Systems
Email: rashmi.minocha@cseindia.org