CATIE is part of project to contain antimicrobial resistance

• The project is funded by the British Academy of Sciences and integrates a multidisciplinary team of 20 researchers from the health sciences, social sciences and humanities.

April 24, 2023. CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) is proud to be part of a project funded by the British Academy of Sciences that aims to find fair and effective solutions to contain antimicrobial resistance (AMR) while minimizing burdens and potential risks to society. This project is crucial given the increase in bacterial resistance to antibiotics and the threat it poses to human and animal health.

The project seeks to address antimicrobial resistance from a just transition perspective and integrates a multidisciplinary team of 20 researchers from the health, social sciences and humanities, under the leadership of Sonia Lewycka and Phaik Yeong Cheah, both from the University of Oxford.

El rol del CATIE en el proyecto, mediante la participación de Pablo Imbach, líder de la Unidad de Acción Climática del Centro, se enfoca en el uso de soluciones basadas en naturaleza para una transición justa en la gestión de la resistencia antimicrobiana. “En particular, el CATIE está trabajando en la identificación del rol de las nature-based solutions para la gestión del ambiente microbiano y sinergias con las respuestas para la promoción de prácticas sostenibles y adaptadas al clima para una transición justa de la agricultura y las comunidades rurales”, detalló Imbach.

Antimicrobial resistance challenge

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is among the most important global health concerns. In 2019, 1.27 million deaths were attributed to resistant bacterial infections, and by 2050, AMR is projected to cost more than USD 100 billion per year, accounting for 10 million deaths worldwide. Antimicrobial resistance transcends borders and affects communities in all regions of the world.

Poor and marginalized populations are among those most affected by AMR, but the global discourse on policies and solutions often overlooks the challenges facing these settings. "Containing the spread of AMR and avoiding a future where antimicrobials no longer work and common infections become potentially lethal will require urgent, system-wide change," Imbach said.