National AMR context
Antimicrobial resistance is an increasing One Health concern in Liberia, where limited veterinary capacity, weak regulation of antimicrobial sales and widespread unsupervised antimicrobial use constrain responsible use in livestock. These challenges align with gaps identified in Liberia’s National Action Plan on AMR, including the need to strengthen surveillance, optimise antimicrobial use, and improve awareness and education. Liberia is also expanding domestic poultry production to reduce dependence on imported chicken. While this supports national food-security and agricultural-development goals, rapid growth of the sector may increase AMR risks if antimicrobial use remains poorly regulated. Veterinary services face funding and human-resource limitations, and reliable data on antimicrobial-use practices and drivers in poultry production are scarce. A focused baseline is therefore needed to inform stewardship and future AMR interventions in the animal-health sector.
Problem this project addresses
There is no systematic baseline describing which antimicrobials are used on broiler farms in Liberia, how frequently they are used, or the factors driving non-prudent use. Weak veterinary coverage and regulation mean farmers may purchase and administer antibiotics without professional oversight, while para-veterinarians and Community Animal Health Workers operate with limited resources and supervision. The proposal also identifies concerns about use of human antibiotics in poultry, use for prevention or growth promotion, and inadequate observance of withdrawal periods, which may contribute to antimicrobial residues and resistant bacteria entering the food chain and environment. These evidence gaps limit the Ministry of Agriculture’s ability to design targeted interventions or strengthen implementation of national treatment guidance. The project addresses this need by documenting antimicrobial-use patterns and assessing the knowledge, attitudes and practices of broiler farmers, para-veterinarians and Community Animal Health Workers in Bong and Montserrado Counties.
“Liberia’s animal sector remains largely a blind spot in terms of antimicrobial use and resistance. This baseline study aims to start filling that gap, so future interventions can be targeted where they’re needed most.” Rodolphe Mader, Science Advisor, ICARS
Project overview
This baseline scoping study will assess antimicrobial use in broiler farms in Bong and Montserrado Counties and examine the knowledge, attitudes and practices of farmers and animal-health providers. Using a mixed-methods cross-sectional design, the project will collect structured and semi-structured questionnaire data from small- and large-scale broiler farmers, para-veterinarians and Community Animal Health Workers. Quantitative KAP surveys will be complemented by focus group discussions with farmers and key-informant interviews with animal-health providers. The study will identify the types and frequency of antimicrobials used, generate antimicrobial-use indicators such as treatment days per production cycle, assess knowledge and practices related to AMR and prudent use, and examine determinants of prescribing and administration practices against national treatment guidance. The Ministry of Agriculture will provide high-level governance, with implementation led by the Research and Innovations Hub and national academic and agricultural research partners.
“Evidence on antimicrobial use in broiler production guides Liberia to curb misuse, strengthen stewardship, and protect public health.” Garmie Voupawoe, Director of Animal Resources, Ministry of Agriculture, Liberia
Intended outcomes
The project will generate the first empirical baseline on antimicrobial use in broiler production in Bong and Montserrado Counties, including the types and frequency of antimicrobials administered, treatment-use indicators, knowledge scores and behavioural determinants among farmers and animal-health providers. The evidence will identify priority drivers of antimicrobial misuse and clarify where stewardship and regulatory action are most needed. Findings will directly inform future intervention and implementation research, including targeted training for farmers, veterinarians, para-veterinarians and Community Animal Health Workers on prudent antimicrobial use and application of AMR Standard Treatment Guidelines. The baseline will also support the Ministry of Agriculture and One Health partners in strengthening awareness, surveillance and policy responses while protecting animal health, food safety and agricultural development. Results are expected to be disseminated through stakeholder engagement, community-oriented communication materials, technical outputs and broader scientific and policy channels.
About the Team Europe Initiative
This project is funded through the Team Europe Initiative (TEI) Action on Fighting Antimicrobial Resistance and Strengthening the One Health Workforce in Africa, a collaborative effort to support locally led, evidence-informed action on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) across the continent. Through work on AMR mitigation, implementation research, workforce development, health economics, and One Health, the initiative aims to strengthen capacity and generate practical, context-specific approaches that can support sustainable AMR action in African countries.
