The Antibiotic Platform – From Farm to Fork
Increased antibiotic resistance is one of the ten major global threats to human health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). To curb this development, more must be done in various areas, particularly in the food industry, where antibiotic overuse is a widespread problem. The Antibiotic Platform brings together a diverse range of stakeholders to collectively promote prudent and responsible use of antibiotics. The platform welcomes participants from various sectors and industries. It serves as an open forum for knowledge sharing and networking, as well as a hub for sharing best practices and receiving practical support.
The Antibiotic Platform is run by Axfoundation and The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA). The platform brings together a wide range of stakeholders across sectors to collectively accelerate efforts against antibiotic resistance.
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Updates on Antibiotics
Receive a biweekly news update covering the latest from the areas of antibiotics, trade and animal husbandry (currently in Swedish).
Knowledge Events
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Seminar 5 Dec 2023: Drivers for Change
2023-10-13
Results
The AMR Multi-Stakeholder Partnership Platform, which includes members such as FAO and WHO, has released its “Call for Actionable Steps to the Rising Threat of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)”. The call-to-action paper, which has been the effort of a working group that Axfoundation has been a part of, has laid out multiple recommendations to be presented at the UN high-level meeting in the fall of 2024. The recommendations include the implementation of national action plans built on countries’ contexts, capacities and capabilities to slow down the development of antibiotic resistance. Learn more →
Publications & Presentations (in Swedish)
About the Antibiotic Platform
The Antibiotic Platform is run by Axfoundation and The Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry (KSLA). The purpose is to bring together and coordinate a diverse range of stakeholders across sectors to collectively promote prudent and responsible use of antibiotics – in Sweden and internationally. The platform organizes seminars, facilitates roundtable meetings, and publishes joint reports and publications that highlight both problems and practical solutions.
In 2020, Axfoundation and KSLA conducted a mapping of existing networks and platforms, identifying key actors for the antibiotic issue within Sweden’s food sector. The findings indicated a clear need to coordinate efforts in various ways to expedite work and move from words to action. The conclusions from this collaborative effort laid the foundation for the Antibiotic Platform – From Farm to Fork.
Axfoundation’s and KSLA’s mapping, through in-depth interviews and surveys with nearly 100 stakeholders, showed that stakeholders primarily need support in three areas to contribute to accelerating efforts against antibiotic resistance:
- Need 1: Global Monitoring
- Need 2: Practical work in the supply chain
- Need 3: Network and contact point
4 Facts About Antibiotics
- Today, more antibiotics are used for healthy animals than for sick people. Globally, approximately 70% of all antibiotics are used in animal livestock and only 30% in human healthcare. In Sweden, about 10-15% are used for animal husbandry.
- Overuse of antibiotics is a widespread problem in global food production. There is a clear connection between poor animal husbandry and extensive antibiotic use. The more antibiotics that are used, the greater the risk of bacteria developing resistance to antibiotics.
- Antibiotic resistance is one of the top ten threats to human health, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Globally, about 1.2 million deaths occur annually due to infections caused by resistant bacteria. By 2050, it is estimated that 10 million people will die from antibiotic-resistant infections.
- Sweden has demonstrated that it is possible to significantly reduce antibiotic use in animal husbandry while maintaining production. Compared to many countries, Sweden has a very low average consumption. However, in several EU countries and countries outside the EU, the problem is significant. Efforts must be made in multiple areas and through collaboration across sectors and industries.
Contact
Want to know more about Axfoundation’s and KSLA’s collective work? You’re welcome to connect with Maria Smith, Axfoundation’s project leader in the area.
