Innovative farming techniques to advance environmental, human and animal health
Estimations are that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) accounted for 1.2 million deaths in 2019. Lack of effective action could lead up to ten million deaths per year by 2050. As the health of animals, humans, and the environment are interlinked, AMR can only be addressed through collaborative action across all the involved sectors in a One Health approach. This session explored and showcased suggestions on how the farming, environment, animal, and human health sectors could work together to promote stewardship and prudent use of antimicrobials.
The session identified solutions to enhance and foster partnerships across those sectors such as animal health with a focus on environmental good practices and using the evidence from human health. The session gave space to the sector representatives to bring in their perspective, discuss practical challenges, but foremost, showcase innovative organic farming solutions that allow for the drastic reduction of the use of antimicrobials in farming.
The experts in the panel discussed how the interdependent relationship between the health of animals, humans, and the environment requires a One Health approach for collaborative action across all sectors. Their main message and linkage was One Health and shifting the narrative to Animal Health and Welfare.
A strong panel of Bruno Gonzalez-Zorn, Laura Marin, Wendla Beyer, Milka Sokolović and Georg Michael Lexer, moderated by Dimitra Panteli, gave insights and inspiration at European Health Forum Gastein for both large and small-scale initiatives in a One Health approach.
Professor and Head of the Antimicrobial Resistance Unit, Bruno Gonzalez-Zorn from the Complutense University, Madrid provided the facts clearly. The use of antibiotics is increasing worldwide, because there are more people, more animal consumption, more antibiotic use. Currently, 70% antibiotics are used in animals, and 30% in humans. AMR is out of control with 1.2m deaths per year. Professor Gonzalez-Zorn’s message could not have been more clear: “If we are serious about addressing AMR, we must limit antibiotic use in farming”.
Laura Marin, Head of Secretariat, Joint Programming Initiative on Antimicrobial Resistance: “As prescribed as actions in the one health approach, financing research to build the evidence gap in AMR is required. This will aid development of data on behaviours including other known gaps.“
Trade negotiations can fall shy from inclusion of health as it is vital to utilise cooperation with partners and foster underused mechanisms to secure good practices for health.
“AMR resistance? No single organisation can do it alone. We need coordination. The complexity is stunning; and we must not let ourselves get frozen in that complexity. We’ll continue to work collaboratively and build capacity together.”
It was highlighted in the panel that EU regulations on antimicrobials in farming account for an important step made towards reduction of use of antibiotics in animals, but the limited animal welfare rules do not address the root cause that generates the need for treatment and use of antibiotics in animals. A One Health perspective should be applied to the fullest to incorporate proper animal welfare legislation and policies at the EU level.
“Policies can ensure only sick animals get antibiotics, but what do we do when animals are constantly and systematically sick as is happening now?” pointed out by Wendla-Antonia Beyer, Campaign coordinator from Four Paws.
Georg Michael Lexer of Alpenspirit GmBH shares his perspective as a pig farmer, suggesting that more space and better conditions for animals improve the health of livestock and reduces the need for antibiotics. The farmer representative in the panel shared details about intensive farming versus extensive farming and its applications towards the use of antimicrobials. Ideally, extensive farming practices are what we need and can be achieved with the implementation of the EU Farm to Fork Strategy; “Less intensive farming, less disease, less AMR.”
“Antimicrobial resistance should scare people as much as the COVID pandemic or more”, Milka Sokolović, Director General for EPHA pointed out – and reminded us that we need to collaborate much more with every possible tool in the box.
We clearly need more, and stronger, action on AMR, lest we sleepwalk our way into a new dark age where even minor infections might become killers. And we need every silo ready to work for transversal and collective impact.
The panel of experts demonstrated in their message a clear link between animals, humans and the environment and AMR. The use of antimicrobials in intensive pig farming eventually ends up in intensive care units where vulnerable people are in danger from adequate treatments.