FAO: Short-term gains from growth stimulants in livestock farming will result in multi-billion losses

June 3, 2026 Economic development

The document emphasizes that while antimicrobial growth promoters (AGPs) provide short-term productivity growth, especially under conditions of limited resources, the long-term production losses due to the growth of resistance to antimicrobial drugs (AMR) will be significantly larger in scale.

According to estimates, the total losses in livestock farming under an unfavorable scenario of ASF spread could amount to about 318 billion dollars by 2040. For comparison, under the harshest scenario of phased refusal of growth stimulants, the losses would total only about 53 billion dollars.

“The costs associated with reducing the inappropriate use of antimicrobial drugs are often short-term and localized, whereas the benefits of improving the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs are long-term in nature and benefit a wide range of people,” said Tanavat Tiensin, Deputy Director General of the FAO.

“That is precisely why the effectiveness of antimicrobial drugs should be considered as a global public good, which requires a closer linkage of incentives at the national level and at the level of agricultural enterprises with the global benefits from preserving this effectiveness. At the same time, it is necessary to ensure investments that allow carrying out prevention on a large scale,” he added.

To address this problem, the FAO calls for comprehensive measures combining regulatory frameworks with economic incentives. Necessary investments include veterinary services, epidemiological surveillance, diagnostics, as well as the implementation of alternatives — vaccination and improved livestock management methods.

According to the organization’s calculations, covering the short-term costs of this transfer will require no less than 28.4 billion dollars in investments. The economic results may be barely noticeable at first, which often leads to delays in taking measures, FAO notes.

The necessity of reforms is reinforced by a forecast, according to which by 2040 global production of livestock products will increase by approximately 23 percent – mainly due to poultry meat and milk.

At the same time, the geographical distribution of antibiotic use will remain uneven. By 2040, the Asia-Pacific region will remain the largest consumer of antimicrobial agents in livestock, accounting for almost 65 percent of the total volume, followed by South America with a share of about 19 percent. Although Africa’s share is currently lower, its growth rates are among the highest.

The implementation of restrictions should be accompanied by targeted support for farmers, since the impact of growth stimulants on the productivity of broilers, pigs, and cattle varies greatly depending on the region and production systems. FAO is already actively assisting governments in this transition within the framework of its 10-year RENOFARM initiative to reduce the need for antimicrobial agents on farms and the International FAO monitoring system for resistance to antimicrobial drugs (InFARM).

In addition, participants of the current meeting at the FAO headquarters in Rome are discussing the project of the Global Action Plan for the sustainable transformation of animal husbandry. This plan defines practical priorities for governments and partners throughout the entire value chain – from production to markets. Its goal is to adopt scientifically grounded decisions taking into account local specifics to create sustainable animal husbandry systems amid growing global demand for meat, milk, and eggs.