For nearly a decade and a half, CSE’s Sustainable Food Systems team has been working towards an effective global response to antimicrobial resistance (AMR), with a particular focus on agri-food systems and the environment. A key approach, particularly relevant to the realities and priorities of the Global South, is to prevent AMR at the very first place. A preventive approach across One Health sectors — human health, animal health and food-animal production, crop health and production, and environmental health — can significantly reduce disease incidence, dependence on antibiotics, and the emergence and spread of AMR.

This requires strengthening key preventive pillars such as, but not limited to, biosecurity, vaccination, alternatives to antibiotics, antibiotic stewardship and effective waste management. Beyond reducing AMR, these measures can deliver wider co-benefits: lower mortality, improved productivity and incomes, better nutrition, safer food, reduced climate impacts and less chemical pollution. In doing so, this prevention-led pathway to tackling AMR can pay way towards building more sustainable food, health and environment systems.

Every year, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) marks World AMR Awareness Week (WAAW), observed from 18–24 November, through a global campaign to raise awareness and catalyse action on AMR. Now in its 11th year, CSE’s WAAW 2026 campaign is themed ‘Prevent AMR for Sustainability and One Health’. Through this week-long initiative, we will engage experts and stakeholders to highlight key issues, share evidence and promote practical solutions through webinars, reports, videos, articles and social media campaigns. The global theme for WAAW 2026 is ‘One Health. One Action: Prevent AMR Now’.