Raising awareness on antimicrobial resistance: a case study of top-down and bottom-up engagements with livestock farmers’ in Dormaa districts, Ghana

Abstract

Ensuring the welfare, health, and overall state of animals produced for food is both a moral duty and an essential aspect of ensuring the safety of food products. The utilisation of antibiotics for the purpose of preserving animal health has been subject to examination most recently as a result of the increase in antibiotic resistance on a global scale. This is a major problem for animal and human health on a worldwide scale since it has increased illness outbreaks and the prevalence of germs that are resistant to antibiotics. The possibility of the transmission of germs impervious to antimicrobials from animals to the environment and food chain is a real concern. One approach to tackle this issue has involved implementing top-down
public education campaigns with the goal of educating livestock farmers about antimicrobial use (AMU) and antimicrobial resistance (AMR). The primary aim of this study was to augment grasp of the unrestricted engagement deeds that most effectively capture information regarding the variables that drive rural livestock farmers to use antimicrobials and their degree of
cognizance regarding antimicrobial resistance. We utilised a case study methodology to examine four different community engagement initiatives (focus group discussions, key informant interviews, public engagement workshops, and media discussion shows) that involved livestock farmers and animal health officials in the Dormaa districts of Ghana. The focus of these activities was on the topics of antimicrobial use and antimicrobial resistance. The study found that empowering farmers through dialogical public interactions, using both top-down and bottom-up techniques, enables them to effectively share knowledge about
antimicrobial usage and resistance. This empowerment also allows farmers to engage in peer learning through their networks and the media. According to the findings of this study, it is advisable for livestock producers and animal health professionals to collaborate regularly in order to raise awareness through the media about the consequences of using and developing resistance to antimicrobials in livestock production, as well as its impact on humans and the environment.