Engaging Farmers & Practitioners to Combat AMR in Aquaculture in Bangladesh: A People-Centric, Community-Led Approach

Abstract

The presentation was jointly produced under the Antimicrobial Resistance and One Health South Asia (AMROH-SA) Project and the CGIAR Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods (SAAF) Science Program. It presents the design and piloting of a people-centric, community-led antimicrobial stewardship intervention implemented in two aquaculture-intensive upazilas (Fulbaria and Tarakanda) of Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Through courtyard meetings involving fish farmers, agrovet shop owners, veterinarians, and Department of Fisheries officers, the intervention combined AMR awareness-raising, biosecurity education, interactive learning tools, and water-quality demonstrations to address key drivers of antimicrobial use at farm level. Participatory methods—including educational board games, visual IEC materials, and pre- and post-knowledge assessments—were used to encourage responsible AMU, strengthen community ownership, and promote informed farm management decisions. The document provides practical evidence on how people-centric pilot interventions can support sustainable antimicrobial stewardship in aquaculture systems under the One Health framework.