This paper comes from an ICARS-supported study investigating antimicrobial use and manure management practices among 351 commercial chicken farmers in Morogoro, Dar es Salaam, and Unguja, Tanzania, and their potential contribution to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
Farmers reported using 14 antibiotic classes, with tetracycline the most common (54.1%). Most farmers apply or sell untreated poultry manure, with 93.2% not processing it before use, mainly due to lack of technical knowledge. Awareness of health risks from pathogens (43.3%) and drug residues (57.5%) was also low.
The study identifies critical gaps, including weak regulatory enforcement, inadequate surveillance systems, limited cross-sectoral integration, irrational antimicrobial use, and low farmer awareness. It recommends strengthening regulatory frameworks, improving farmer training, and promoting safer manure management methods to reduce the environmental dissemination of antimicrobial residues and resistance.
