Over 100 participants—including animal farmers, veterinary regulators, feed inspectors, provincial veterinarians, feed producers, and representatives from academic institutions—gathered in Siem Reap for a three-day Training Workshop on Animal Nutrition to Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials.
The workshop aims to curb the use of antimicrobials in animal production by equipping stakeholders with knowledge and practical skills in animal nutrition, feed quality and safety, ration formulation, and specific feeding strategies. These measures are critical for reducing antimicrobial use (AMU), particularly as growth promoters, and for improving overall animal health and productivity.
Topics covered in the training include biosecurity measures, ethical animal production practices, and careful management of antimicrobial treatments and prophylaxis. Participants, especially pig and poultry farmers and feed regulators, are expected to apply this knowledge on their farms to improve feed efficiency and reduce reliance on antimicrobials.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Pen Bunthoeun, Deputy Director of the Siem Reap Provincial Department of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, highlighted the region’s significant livestock sector, noting that by 2024, Siem Reap will be home to approximately 246,000 cattle and buffalo, 181,000 pigs, and 4 million poultry. He stressed the need to urgently implement responsible antimicrobial use in farming to protect animal and human health and to advance smart agriculture practices.
Dr. Alessandro Patriarchi, Regional Coordinator at FAO RAP, underlined the link between antimicrobial misuse and the emergence of foodborne antimicrobial resistance (AMR). “Foodborne AMR arises from the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and plants. The ACT project, Action to support the implementation of Codex AMR Texts, is working to address AMR by raising awareness, expanding surveillance, strengthening good practices, and enhancing biosecurity on farms,” said Dr. Patriarchi.
He added that the workshop covers a wide array of topics, including fundamentals of animal nutrition and its impact on animal health, the feed manufacturing process, practical feeding strategies to reduce AMU, and experiences from the feed industry in collaborating with FAO and government authorities to build capacity and align with regulatory changes on antimicrobial use.
H.E. Che Savun, Deputy Secretary General and Secretary of the One Health Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), delivered the opening remarks. He urged all relevant agencies under MAFF to prioritize smart animal, crop, and fisheries production and to continually revise veterinary regulations on feed and nutrition to meet Cambodia’s needs.
“It is important that FAO supports MAFF in studying meat, crop, and fish consumption per capita in Cambodia to inform evidence-based policies,” he noted, thanking the Government of the Republic of Korea, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, FAO, and the ACT project for their technical assistance to the General Directorate of Animal Health and Production (GDAHP), particularly in the fight against foodborne AMR.
link