Containment of antimicrobial resistance: towards a sustainable poultry production chain in Indonesia.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major threat for animal and public health and recognized by Heads of State in the General Assembly of the United Nations as a major issue on global scale. To contain AMR, antimicrobial usage (AMU) should be reduced as this is considered to be the main driver of selection for resistant bacteria. Furthermore, the veterinary use of (highly prioritized) critically important antimicrobials for human medicine should be reduced as much as possible and replaced by less important antimicrobials for human medicine. Preliminary data collected by consortium partners, showed considerable overuse of antimicrobials in the Indonesian poultry production. Scientific research is needed to support an evidence-based transition towards a sustainable poultry production chain with responsible use of antimicrobials. The research questions are i) why, what and how much antimicrobials are used in broiler production in Indonesia, ii) what alternatives for AMU are available iii) is it possible to reduce AMU by introducing tailor made on-farm intervention strategies. The parameters to be measured are reduction in AMU and the change in AMR levels on farms. One of the results of this project will be the development of a â??best practiceâ?? document to be used (inter)nationally by stakeholders and scientific publications to share the results with the scientific community. The consortium consists of research organisations, a commercial partner and 4 supporting organisations with strong links with the broiler sector in Indonesia. Two stakeholder meetings will be part of this project to ensure close involvement in the development of the intervention and in the end phase to communicate results and best practices to end-users. Several elements of capacity building are one of the pillars of the project. This project contributes to a safe and sustainable poultry food chain in Indonesia and reduces the risks of resistant bacteria for humans.