The Antibiotic Platform – from farm to fork
Is there a need for, and a potential added value in, developing a Swedish platform for collaborating on the issue of antibiotic resistance? If so, can such a platform contribute to quickening the pace of the Swedish food sector’s work against antibiotic resistance ? These were the questions that Axfoundation, together with the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry wanted answers to. In 2020, the collaboration between the two organizations began, leading to the creation of the ‘Antibiotic Platform – from farm to fork’.
The Issue
Overuse of antibiotics is a widespread problem in food production. Approximately 70% of all antibiotics used globally are used in the breeding of food-producing animals. The remaining 30% is used for human health care. In Sweden, the picture is different, where 10-15% of antibiotics are used for animal husbandry. However, antibiotic-resistant bacteria see no national borders, instead the growing antibiotic resistance is a global problem. A problem that the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified as one of the ten biggest threats to human health. Although Sweden has shown that it is possible to radically reduce the use of antibiotics in animal husbandry, while maintaining production, this is not enough to solve the issue. Efforts must be made in several areas and in collaboration between different actors to speed up the work against antibiotic resistance.
Through the ‘Antibiotic Platform – from farm to fork’, Axfoundation and KSLA aims to gather a wide array of actors across sectors to quicken the pace of work against antibiotic resistance.
Our Work
In 2020, Axfoundation and the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry carried out a survey of existing networks and platforms and identified key players on the antibiotic issue in Sweden’s food sector. Additionally, a needs analysis was conducted via interviews and a survey.
The survey showed that there was a clear need to coordinate and gather actors across sectors in various ways in order to quicken the pace of work against antibiotic resistance. In-depth interviews and surveys with almost 100 actors clearly showed the need for support in both external monitoring and in the practical work in the supply chain. Additionally, there was a demand for better opportunities to network to drive the needed change. The conclusions from this collaboration laid the foundation for the creation of the ‘Antibiotic Platform – from farm to fork’.
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people from 100 different organizations were identified as stakeholders.
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existing initiatives, networks and platforms were identified.
Priorities
The mapping done by Axfoundation and KSLAs shows that actors across sectors primarily need support in three areas to contribute to quickening the pace of the work against antibiotic resistance:
- Need 1: Systematic monitoring and reporting on developments in the AMR world
- Need 2: Practical work in the supply chain
- Need 3: Networking and contact points
Our Solution
Through the ‘Antibiotic Platform – from farm to fork’, Axfoundation and the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry want to gather strength and coordinate a wide array of actors across sectors to quicken the pace of work against antibiotic resistance.
In 2021, the platform conducted a knowledge sharing and networking seminar and started a supplier dialogue group called the Antibiotic Dialogue. The platform has been initially piloted and developed over a year and will be evaluated in 2022.
Partners
The platform is operated and developed jointly by Axfoundation and the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry. Both organizations contribute to the platform based on their respective assignments with their capacity and competence. We warmly welcome all interested parties to participate in the platform’s activities.
Contact
If you want to know more about Axfoundation’s and the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture and Forestry’s collaboration, or want to participate in one of the organized activities, please contact Maria Lundesjö, Project Manager at Axfoundation.
