Situational Analysis and Designing a Roadmap for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Reduction in Aquaculture by Balancing Productivity and Public Health in Ethiopia

i. Principal investigator: Achenef Melaku Beyene (Ph.D. (Microbiology), MSc (Pharmacology), DVM), Email: tbeyene11@gmail.com or achenef.melaku@uog.edu.et

ii. Co-investigators: Melaku Getahun (MSc, Quality Control and Assurance of Veterinary pharmacy), Email: melaku.getahun@uog.edu.et

iii. Co-investigator: Solomon Luie (MSc, Microbiology): Email: Solomon.lulie@uog.edu.et

iv. Co-investigator: Tadilo Awoke (MSc, Fishery and Aquaculture Production), Email. tadlo.awoke@uog.edu.et

Collaborating institutions or partners: Ethiopian Agricultural Authority and Animal Health Institute

1. OVERVIEW OF THE PROPOSAL

The demand for protein and other nutrients is high and increasing in the world. Antimicrobials are commonly used to treat diseases and enhance productivity in aquaculture and other fishing practices. Antimicrobial use (AMU) is the main driver of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). This threatens aquatic animal health, compromises food safety, and poses broader public health risks. To address this challenge, assessing the situation and designing a roadmap for reducing AMU and AMR in aquaculture without compromising productivity are highly needed. The study seeks to develop a comprehensive roadmap aimed at reducing AMU and mitigating AMR in aquaculture. The research will be guided by a multi-pronged methodology that combines policy and literature reviews with field surveys and laboratory analysis by taking 350 samples across natural and artificial aquaculture systems and fish, complemented by active engagement of stakeholders to capture practical insights and priorities. Ethical clearance will be obtained from the Research Ethics Board of the University of Gondar. The laboratory procedure will be conducted in the Food Safety and Zoonosis Laboratory of the University of Gondar, Ethiopia. The laboratory is recently renovated and equipped to enable isolation and characterization of bacteria both phenotypically (biochemical test and antimicrobial susceptibility test), and genotypically (molecular techniques like Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)). Undertaking the study, evidence will be generated that helps take appropriate measures. These will promote efficient aquaculture production, ensure the safety of food derived from aquatic sources, and minimize the public health burden associated with AMU and AMR. Raw and summarized data will be publicly available, and scientific publications will be produced using the results. Policy briefs will be done for decision-makers. Results will be presented at stakeholder workshops, national or international conferences. The study will take about one year and require about 5000.00 United States Dollars.

Keywords: Antimicrobial Resistance, Antimicrobial Use, Aquaculture, Ethiopia

1. INTRODUCTION

Today, aquaculture plays a pivotal role in food security worldwide. It is one of the fastest-growing sectors with high demand for high-quality protein, rising incomes, and concerns about the sustainability of wild-capture fisheries. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations is showing that global fisheries and aquaculture production in 2022 surged to 223.2 million tons, a 4.4% increase from 2020 (1). To boost production, there is a high usage of antimicrobials in aquaculture. This practice is highly associated with antimicrobial resistance (AMR), which is among the top public health problems in the world. Due to the One Health dimension of the problem, the AMR created in agriculture has an impact on animal, plant, and environmental health. (2,3).

Irrational use and overuse of antimicrobials are the main drivers of AMR (4). The AMR occurs when disease-causing microorganisms, such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites, develop the ability to withstand the effects of antimicrobial drugs designed to kill or inhibit them, making these drugs ineffective and the resulting infections difficult or impossible to treat. It is becoming one of the key global health problems (5,6). In 2019, approximately 4.95 million deaths of people were associated with AMR. The problem also affects global livelihoods and food security. This growing crisis not only poses a significant risk to public health but also threatens global livelihoods and food security. It has been predicted that the AMR burden will increase in the future if the current scenario continues; about 300 billion to one trillion United States Dollars in losses will be recorded by 2050 in the world (7,8). The studies conducted by the World Bank indicated that AMR will increase poverty and decrease GDP by 2 to 7%. The World Bank also estimated a 10% loss of production in the livestock sector, a 7.5% decrease in the value of global livestock production, and a 3.8 % decrease in global exports by 2050. These will be obstacles to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (8). The problem is very high in Africa, with AMR causing 27.3 deaths per 100,000 people (9). Despite this, African countries have a low AMR preparedness score (10), with low capacity for AMR testing and surveillance (11).

Ethiopia has high aquaculture potential and is one of the growing sectors to satisfy the high demand for the huge and growing population. The country is producing more than 94 thousand tons per year (12). Despite the limited information regarding the antimicrobial use in Ethiopia, research outputs showed that antimicrobials have been used, and resistant pathogens were commonly isolated from samples taken from aquaculture (13,14). Teklu et al. (13) reported that the highest resistance was observed in commonly used antimicrobials like ampicillin and amoxicillin in E. coli isolated from fish meat. High resistance to tetracyclines was also reported by Yohans et al. (15) from E. coli isolated from the fish value chain. Despite these fragments of information, the available data regarding AMU and AMR in aquaculture is limited. Therefore, there is a huge demand for generating data, along with the design of a roadmap for reduction.

2. RESEARCH QUESTIONS AND HYPOTHESIS

What type of antimicrobials are used in aquaculture in Ethiopia, and what are the major drivers of antimicrobial use in aquaculture? We hypothesize that different antimicrobials are used in aquaculture, usually irrationally, and we can generate evidence that helps to plan and implement evidence-based mitigation interventions
What interventions can reduce AMU without compromising productivity and food safety? We can design intervention measures to reduce AMU in aquaculture without reducing the fish production.
What is the proportion of AMR in common bacterial isolates of the fish and contaminating agents?
Can a well-designed roadmap foster sustainable aquaculture and protect public health?

3. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

3.1 General Objective

The goal of this study is to generate evidence and design a roadmap for reducing antimicrobial use and resistance in aquaculture while ensuring sustainable productivity and public health.

3.2 Specific Objectives

This study is designed:

To assess current antimicrobial use practices and drivers in aquaculture.
To evaluate the prevalence and patterns of antimicrobial resistance in aquaculture systems.
To engage stakeholders in developing a practical roadmap balancing aquaculture productivity, food safety, and public health priorities.

4. METHODOLOGY

4.1 Study Area

The study will be conducted in Ethiopia by selecting four sites with high aquaculture activities. Ethiopia is an East African country with a population of about 120 million people, which makes the country the second most populous in Africa, after Nigeria. The population is growing at an annual rate of 2.89%. The country lies within the tropics between 3°2 and 14°53 North and 32°4 and 48°12 East. The country has great geographical diversity, ranging from 116 m below sea level in the Danakil depression to more than 4,600 m above sea level in the mountainous regions (16).

4.2 Study Design and Data Collection

In the study, a mixed-methods approach (comprising qualitative and quantitative surveys, laboratory analysis, policy review, and situational analysis) will be employed. A qualitative study will be conducted by using a pretested questionnaire and checklist. The data will be collected from aquaculture owners and professionals working in the area. Records regarding AMU, and a total of 180 aquaculture owners and 60 professionals will be interviewed to fill the questionnaire to assess AMU in aquaculture.

Samples will be collected from the water in the artificial pond, natural water, and the fish. Then, in the laboratory, purposively targeted bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella species) will be isolated, and their antimicrobial susceptibility will be assessed. For bacterial isolation, standardized bacteriological techniques will be employed. The type of bacteria will be identified based on their biochemical characteristics.

Totally, about 350 samples will be processed, of which 190 will be from randomly selected artificial ponds, 80 will be from commonly used natural water for fishing, and 80 will be fish samples. The sampling areas will be assigned proportionally based on the number of ponds in the area, and following the maximum differences principle.

The policy and regulatory frameworks in the country will be reviewed, and potential improvements will be suggested. Finally, the researchers in the study will participate in developing a roadmap for reducing AMU and AMR, and distribute it to stakeholders for implementation.

4.3 Inclusion Criteria

Aquaculture farmers and professionals working in fisheries and aquaculture practices in the country will be included in the study. Samples collected and processed according to the set protocol will be included in the summary.

4.4 Exclusion Criteria

Aquaculture practices outside the study sampling sites, an individual who is not practicing aquaculture, and an expert will not be included. Samples that are not collected and processed according to the set protocol will be excluded from the summary.

4.5 Data Analysis

The data will be entered into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet by preparing different formats, and will be analyzed. Both descriptive and inferential statistics will be employed for data analysis. Tables and graphs will be used to summarize the data. For these, statistical software like R will be used. Appropriate inferential statistics will be used to see the influence of risk factors. In all cases, P < 0.05 will be used for the decision on whether it is significant or not.

4.6 Ethical Considerations

The research work will get ethical approval from the institute's ethical board. For data collection, a consent will be signed by the individual providing the information, with the right to withdraw from the study. Confidentiality, compliance with animal welfare, and food safety standards will be maintained.

5. EXPECTED RESULTS

Upon the accomplishment of this research work, the following results are expected,

The type of antimicrobial used in aquaculture will be determined
The current AMU practices and AMR patterns in aquaculture will be known
A validated roadmap, farm-level, and public health recommendations will be prepared
This work will also contribute to One Health AMR strategies at the national level
Gaps in the current policies of the country regarding aquaculture production and AMU and risk reductions will be identified, and improvement directions will be proposed
Future research directions will be proposed

6. WORK PLAN

s/n	Activities	Months (counted as the project commences)
s/n	Activities	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
1	Revising data collection tools and protocols
2	Procurement of items for the study
3	Data collection (questionnaire and sample collection)
4	Laboratory analysis of samples
	Data analysis
5	Roadmap drafting
	Manuscript preparation and submission
6	Validation and dissemination

7. REQUIRED BUDGET

Table 1 shows the summary of the major expenses to implement the project. The main costs of the project will be laboratory chemicals and reagents, stationery, transport, and personal costs.

Table 1. Summary of the budget required

No.	Item	Amount required (USD$)
1	Laboratory chemicals and reagents	2600.00
2	Stationery (Paper, printing, and the like)	250.00
3	Transport cost (Transport during data collection)	1100.00
4	Personal costs (Payment for data collectors, laboratory analyzers)	1050.00
	Total	5000.00

8. DISSEMINATION PLAN

From this research work, scientific publications will be produced. Policy briefs will be done for decision-makers. Results will be presented at stakeholder workshops, national or international conferences.

9. REFERENCES

1. FAO. In Brief to The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2024. Blue Transformation in action. Rome. https://doi.org/10.4060/cd0690en. 2024.

Deng Y, Tan A, Zhao F, Wang F, Gong H, Lai Y, et al. Global distribution of antimicrobial resistance genes in aquaculture. One Heal Adv [Internet]. 2025; Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s44280-025-00071-5

3. FAO. Antimicrobial Resistance Risk Associated with Aquaculture in the Asia-Pacific, Bangkok, Thailand, 4-6 September 2018. https://openknowledge.fao.org/server/api/core/bitstreams/51cd4687-66bf-402e-94b8-eb963d6a8b00/content. 2021.

4. de Mesquita Souza Saraiva M, Lim K, do Monte DFM, Givisiez PEN, Alves LBR, de Freitas Neto OC, et al. Antimicrobial resistance in the globalized food chain: a One Health perspective applied to the poultry industry. Brazilian J Microbiol [Internet]. 2022;53(1):465–86. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42770-021-00635-8

5. Abadi TB, Rizvanov AA, Haertlé T, Blatt NL. World Health Organization Report: Current Crisis of Antibiotic Resistance. Bionanoscience. 2019;9(4):778–88.

WHO. WHO Antimicrobial resistance [Internet]. 2024. p. 1-14. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/de. Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/antimicrobial-resistance
Dadgostar P. Antimicrobial Resistance : Implications and Costs. Infect Drug Resist. 2019;12:3903–10.

8. WBG. World Bank Group, Drug-Resistant Infections: A Threat to Our Economic Future. [Internet]. Vol. 2, World Bank Report. 2017. p. 1-3. https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/health/pub. Available from: www.worldbank.org

9. AfricaCDC. Antimicrobial Resistance_ New Report Warns of Growing Threat. 2024. p. https://africacdc.org/news-item/antimicrobial-resi.

10. Elton L, Thomason MJ, Tembo J, Velavan TP, Pallerla SR, Arruda LB, et al. Antimicrobial resistance preparedness in sub-Saharan African countries. Antimicrob Resist Infect Control. 2020;9(1):145.

Osena G, Kapoor G, Kalanxhi E, Ouassa T. Antimicrobial resistance in Africa: A retrospective analysis of data from 14 countries, 2016–2019. PLoS Med [Internet]. 2025;22:e1004638. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004638

12. Delilo G. Fisheries production and aquaculture development : Current status and future directions in Ethiopia. Glob J Fish Sci. 2024;2:14–29.

13. Teklu A, Alemayhu T, Assefa S, Getachew B. Isolation and Antimicrobial Sensitivity Testing of Escherichia coli from Fish Meat Retailing Shops of Mekelle City, Ethiopia. Momona Ethiop J Sci. 2019;11(2):229–38.

14. Moffo F, Moustapha M, Ndebé F, Tangu MN. Antimicrobial use, residues and resistance in fish production in Africa : systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC Vet Res [Internet]. 2024;20:307. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-024-04158-w

15. Yohans H, Mitiku BA, Tassew H. Levels of Escherichia coli as Bio-Indicator of Contamination of Fish Food and Antibiotic Resistance Pattern Along the Value Chain in Northwest Ethiopia. Vet Med Res Reports. 2022;13:299–311.

16. Birhanu Gebremedhin, Hirpa A, Berhe K. Feed marketing in Ethiopia: Results of rapid market appraisal. Improving Productivity and Market Success (IPMS) of Ethiopian farmers project, Working Paper 15. ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), Nairobi, Kenya. file:///C:/Users/tbeye/Docume. 2009.

Situational Analysis and Designing a Roadmap for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Reduction in Aquaculture by Balancing Productivity and Public Health in Ethiopia

Situational Analysis and Designing a Roadmap for Antimicrobial Use and Resistance Reduction in Aquaculture by Balancing Productivity and Public Health in Ethiopia

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Request for Proposals - Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in Aquaculture

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