STUDY OF INFAAR (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) published the surveillance data of the Indian Network for Fishery and Animal Antimicrobial Resistance (INFAAR) for 2019-22. 

Key Points of INFAAR Data

• Importance of Data in AMR Policy: Antibiotic use in food animal production is a significant contributor to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), necessitating informed policy decisions. 
• Diversity of Aquaculture Systems: The fisheries sector encompasses freshwater, brackish-water, and marine production systems, each with distinct characteristics and challenges.
• Bacterial Isolates and Resistance Profiles: The study analyzed resistance profiles of various bacterial isolates, including Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Vibrio species, highlighting concerning resistance patterns across different environments.
• Multidrug Resistance Analysis: Multidrug resistance (MDR) was prevalent among both aquaculture and food animal isolates, indicating resistance to multiple antimicrobial classes and posing challenges for treatment.
• Importance of Surveillance and Recommendations: The report emphasized the importance of ongoing surveillance efforts and provided recommendations to address AMR in the animal food sector, highlighting the need for continued monitoring and interventions.

INFAAR

• About: INFAAR, a network of laboratories under ICAR, supported by FAO and USAID, focuses on AMR surveillance in fisheries and livestock sectors.
• Collaborative Support: It receives technical assistance from FAO and USAID to enhance its surveillance capabilities.
• Laboratory Composition: INFAAR consists of 20 laboratories, comprising 17 ICAR Research Institute Laboratories, one Central Agriculture University Laboratory, one State Agriculture University Laboratory, and one State Veterinary University.
• Expansion Goals: It aims for further expansion to broaden its reach and impact in combating AMR in the agriculture sector.

Fishery and Livestock Sector

• Significant Contribution: India possesses abundant livestock and poultry resources, with the livestock sector alone contributing approximately 25.6% of the total value of output in the Agriculture, Fishing & Forestry sector at current prices.
• Contribution to GDP: The livestock sector's overall contribution to India's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was around 4.11% at current prices during the fiscal year 2012-13. In contrast, the fishery sector accounted for 0.83% of the total GDP and 4.75% of the Agriculture sector's GDP during the same period.
• Role in Livelihoods: Fishery serves as a crucial source of livelihood for approximately 14 million people in India. Moreover, it contributed Rs 30,213 crore through exports during the fiscal year 2013-14.
• Global Standing: India holds the position of being the second-largest producer of fish globally, with a substantial share of 5.68% of the global total, according to statistics provided by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).