Zimbabwe advances One Health action to reduce antimicrobial use in dairy systems

ZIMBABWE – Zimbabwe has taken a significant step towards tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR in agrifood systems) following a four-day national workshop to develop a roadmap for reducing the need for antimicrobials in the dairy value chains.

Antimicrobial resistance remains one of the most serious threats to food security, public health and sustainable development.

In Zimbabwe, rising disease pressure in dairy systems, gaps in biosecurity, limited access to diagnostics, and inappropriate antimicrobial use continue to drive AMR risks across the food chain.

Opening the workshop, government officials underscored the need to move from fragmented interventions to coordinated, value-chain wide action aligned with Zimbabwe’s National Action Plan on AMR (2024–2028) and the National One Health Strategic Plan.

“The roadmap process allows us to bring all actors around the same table and agree on practical, country-owned solutions that improve productivity while safeguarding animal, human and environmental health,” said Mark Obonyo, FAO AMR Coordinator for Southern Africa.

“Reducing the need for antimicrobials starts with better prevention, better farming practices and better connections across the value chain.”

Participants reviewed the current AMR and antimicrobial use (AMU) situation in dairy production, drawing on surveillance data, research findings and recent knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) surveys.

They examined the economic and food safety implications of antimicrobial residues in milk, including product rejection and income losses, particularly among medium and large-scale producers.

Behaviour change at the centre

A key feature of the workshop was the use of socio-ecological and behavioural analysis to unpack why antimicrobial misuse persists. Facilitated exercises highlighted the role of fear of production losses, misinformation, reliance on unqualified advice, and limited incentives for preventive practices.

“Technical solutions alone are not enough,” noted Anica Buckel, FAO behavioural science expert. “To sustainably reduce antimicrobial use, interventions must address the social, economic and behavioural realities farmers face, from peer influence to market pressures.”

This behavioural lens informed the identification of priority actions and the design of communication, training and incentive mechanisms embedded in the roadmap.

A shared goal and clear priorities

Participants endorsed a shared national goal: to improve productivity, food safety and market access in dairy systems through good farming practices that reduce reliance on antimicrobials and ensure residue-free food.

Interventions were grouped under eight thematic priority areas, including disease prevention and biosecurity, nutrition and feed systems, antimicrobial stewardship, capacity building, behaviour change, market incentives, regulation and governance.

In total, 21 priority actions were jointly developed, spanning farm-level improvements, surveillance, certification, consumer awareness, research and public–private partnerships.

All actions were mapped to FAO’s RENOFARM Farm 5Gs framework (Good Health Services, Good Production Practices, Good Alternatives, Good Incentives and Good Connections) ensuring coherence with national and global AMR commitments.

“The strength of this roadmap lies in its co-design,” said Esther Dsani, FAO Regional AMR Coordinator. “It reflects the realities of farmers, the responsibilities of regulators and the role of markets in driving change, while aligning Zimbabwe with global efforts to reduce antimicrobial use in agrifood systems.”

Next steps

In the coming months, MLAFWRD, with support from FAO, will finalize the roadmap document, including detailed costing, timelines and a monitoring and evaluation framework. A technical validation meeting will precede official endorsement and wider dissemination.

Early implementation activities are expected to focus on scaling up Farmer Field Schools, strengthening biosecurity and vaccination programmes, piloting residue monitoring, promoting alternatives to antimicrobials, and launching national behaviour change and consumer awareness campaigns.

Resource mobilization and public–private partnerships will be critical to close identified funding gaps.

By translating evidence into coordinated action, Zimbabwe’s RENOFARM roadmap marks a decisive step towards safer food, healthier animals and more resilient agrifood systems.

Demonstrating how One Health collaboration can drive meaningful change in the fight against antimicrobial resistance.

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