The production programme is under “Reduce the Need for Antimicrobials on Farms (RENOFARM)” Initiative that aims to significantly reduce the need for antimicrobials for sustainable agrifood system transformation through ground-level engagement and providing farm-level support.
The participants were stakeholders in the fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) from within and outside the country, and they included the Veterinary Services, Fisheries Commission, Department of Food and Agriculture.

Fleming Fund is supporting the programme financially.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), Dr. Yaw Gyekye, Master Trainer for the Farmer Field School (FFS) under the FAO programme, explained that antimicrobial resistance occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi develop the ability to withstand drugs designed to kill them.

He warned that failure to address antimicrobial resistance poses a serious global health threat, as it can affect people at all stages of life.
Ghana’s poultry and aquaculture sectors are expanding rapidly, driven by supply gaps that have accelerated the transition from small backyard operations to a range of commercial and Small- and Medium-scale Enterprise (SME) models, he said.

This growth has created economic opportunities but has also exposed weaknesses in animal health systems and intensified antimicrobial resistance (AMR) risks.
Widespread antibiotic misuse fueled by limited veterinary access, weak disease prevention, and poor awareness remains a major concern, especially among small and medium-scale producers. Ghana has demonstrated strong policy commitment through its National Action Plan on AMR (2017–2021), One Health coordination, and surveillance investments under the Fleming Fund and Global Health Security Agenda.

However, enforcement, surveillance coverage, and veterinary service delivery remain uneven, particularly at farm and agrovet levels.

Dr. Gyekye, also the Ahafo Regional Officer of the Veterinary Services, said joining the RENOFARM initiative would enable Ghana to intensify the fight against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) by establishing more Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in poultry and aquaculture production as established in Bono, Bono East, Western, and Eastern Regions of the country.
He said the outcome of the journey indicated positive change in attitude and behavior of farmers regarding the use of Antimicrobials, and the resilience on them to meet food production demand.

Mr. Forster Amoako, a beneficiary of the Farmer Field School, said it builds farmers’ technical knowledge, critical thinking, and confidence to adapt practices to local conditions.
He said he had assimilated the good practice of using antibiotics appropriately on the poultry to make their immune system stronger to fight against the disease virus.

” Our eggs and meat are more organic. Eggs that take three weeks to get spoilt, now take eight weeks.”
The workshop examined current antimicrobial use practices and key drivers in poultry and aquaculture and identified practical farm-level interventions to reduce the need for antimicrobials.