Addressing World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE) Strategy Objective: Support good governance and capacity building
Tokyo (Japan), 25 March 2022 –To implement the National Action Plan for Combatting Animal Antimicrobial Resistance (2017-2020), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs piloted a national campaign for reducing the use of veterinary antimicrobials in farms from 2018 to 2020. Compared with 2017, AMU in animals was reduced 29.05% in 2018, 223 farms were recognised as qualified farms with reduced use of veterinary antimicrobials.
In 2016, 14 ministries and commissions in China jointly issued a Notice on the Issuance of National Action Plan for Containment of Bacterial Resistance (2016-2020). In 2017, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) issued the National Action Plan for Combatting Animal Antimicrobial resistance (2017-2020). In 2019, the official Announcement No. 194 of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of the People’s Republic of China marked the withdrawal of growth-promoting feed additives (including antimicrobials) except traditional Chinese medicines.
One of the main activities of the National Action Plan for Combatting Animal Antimicrobial Resistance (2017-2020) was to pilot a national campaign to encourage farms to reduce antimicrobial use. To achieve this, MARA has been supervising provincial animal husbandry and veterinary departments, the China Institute of Veterinary Drug Control (IVDC), and industry associations to pilot a national campaign for reducing the use of veterinary antimicrobials in farms since 2018. The first phase is from 2018 – 2020, and the second phase is from 2021-2025.
From 2019 to 2021, the government invested more than 5 million RMB to implement this national campaign. Newspapers and television were used to disseminate information and expand the national campaign’s influence. The Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Bureau developed a pre-recorded training course on the interpretation of laws and regulations related to the use and management of veterinary drugs in China. MARA also published “The compilation of typical cases of reducing the use of veterinary antimicrobials in livestock and poultry farms in 2021.”
A Technical Guideline titled “Standards for reducing the use of antimicrobials in farms and its evaluation method (Trial)” was developed by MARA to evaluate farms that voluntarily participated in the national campaign. These standards were developed following risk assessments of human-animal common antimicrobial drugs for growth promotion, with reference to the relevant standards of the World Health Organization (WHO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Codex Alimentarius Commission (CAC), the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH, founded as OIE) and other international organizations, combined with China’s actual conditions.
Provincial animal husbandry and veterinary departments and industry associations provided technical guidance to the participating farms. These were encouraged to develop a three-year plan for reducing the use of veterinary antimicrobials.
More than 300 farms, with production operations involving laying hens, broilers, pigs, cows, beef cattle, sheep and ducks for meat production, voluntarily participated in the activity. A total of 223 farms passed the MARA evaluation and reached prescribed standards, with the use of veterinary antimicrobials in each farm decreased by varying degrees.
An effective incentive mechanism improved participation of the farms in this initiative. All qualified farms that met the standards were allowed to use the logo of “Reduction of Veterinary Antimicrobial Use” recognised by MARA, and provincial governments were encouraged to give appropriate rewards, such as local supportive policy, giving priority to developing qualified farms projects.
From 2019 to 2021, the report on the use of veterinary antimicrobials in China was published through the MARA Veterinary Bulletin. Compared with 2017, in 2018, 2019 and 2020 the use of veterinary antimicrobials decreased by 29.05%, 26.36% and 21.90%, respectively.
Monitoring and evaluation
From 2019 to 2021, 18 of the qualified farms were tracked and re-evaluated based on the standards and requirements. All 18 farms continue to meet the standards and requirement.
Figure 1. Kick-off meeting of nationwide campaign to reduce the use of veterinary antimicrobials.
Figure 2. Veterinary Bulletin (Vol. 21, No. 8, 2019)
Figure 3. A compilation of typical cases reducing the use of veterinary antimicrobials in livestock and poultry farms.
Figure 4. Seal indicating “Reduction of Veterinary Antimicrobial Use”.
