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The substances we introduce into our bodies can alternatively nourish us or make us ill. Not long ago, I discussed how dietary habits influences the likelihood of colorectal cancer. But what about agricultural practices?

Worldwide, we are observing the rise of low-cost animal protein, largely fueled by consumer desire from a growing affluent population that now has the means to purchase beef, pork and chicken, which were once out of reach. Roughly 45% of increased worldwide demand is occurring in upper-middle-income countries such as India, China, Brazil, the Philippines and Indonesia. Chicken is set to take an increasingly large share of that growth, estimated to grow by 21% by 2034, because it is more affordable, culturally popular and requires less input per kilogram than red meat. By 2034, it is projected that poultry will provide 45% of the dietary protein eaten from all meat sources.

But this has costs. With limited land and tight schedules, the solution in many countries has been to use antibiotics at scale. This isn’t just to address disease but additionally as a prophylactic to avoid sickness in crowded conditions. Furthermore, giving antibiotics causes livestock to grow faster, even though researchers do not know exactly why. This situation means that, unlike their application in people—where antibiotics are typically prescribed to combat infection—their application in agriculture is much more widespread and uncontrolled. Research monitoring their consumption suggest that 73% of all antimicrobials distributed globally are utilized in livestock production.

This enormous overuse is causing a rise in drug-resistant bacteria. As an illustration, resistance to colistin, a final-line treatment, initially emerged in E. coli microorganisms that then contaminated pigs. E coli was later detected in pig farmers. All it takes are aeroplanes and global travel networks for these pathogens to spread globally. And now, resistant strains have been discovered not only in hospitals in China but around the globe.

What does this mean for someone sitting in a GP clinic or a hospital in England or Scotland? It means that infections that were previously simple to cure—such as otitis, urinary tract infections or surgical site infections—become incurable even after a dose of antibiotics. It implies that surgeries such as caesarean sections, hip replacements and oncology treatments that rely on immunosuppression all become more dangerous. And while new antibiotics are technically possible to develop, the development process is lengthy and expensive. We must preserve the tools we have.

The remedies to this problem can exclusively come from transforming worldwide agriculture. To be fair, the UK has made significant progress in curtailing antibiotics in farming. Sales of veterinary antimicrobials destined for consumption has declined by 59% over the past decade. The use of colistin is now virtually nonexistent. The use of highest-priority antimicrobials has dropped to under 0.5% of all veterinary antimicrobial distribution. And, research by European agencies suggested that after antimicrobial consumption in farming was reduced by almost 50% between 2014 and 2021, antimicrobial resistance in E coli throughout Europe also started dropping.

But just concentrating on the UK or EU is a minor effort. If the major emerging economies are included in discussions on how animal protein is produced, we continue to be just as vulnerable to antibiotic resistance. The difficulty is that adopting alternative farming methods takes more space and time: making meat even more expensive in highly populated nations can quickly trigger social unrest, governmental opposition and frustration. The medical necessity is clear, but this must be weighed with considerations of nutritional access, economics and public demand.

Climate scientists have repeatedly cautioned about the ecological impacts of the present worldwide agricultural model, whether it’s greenhouse gases, biodiversity loss, or deforestation. But these consequences often feel long-term and abstract, particularly for individuals facing cost-of-living pressures or concerned with immediate healthcare access.

Antimicrobial resistance is tangible. Almost everyone has taken antibiotics at some point, and we can imagine what would happen if their curative power was suddenly switched off. Food production, health and the environment are all connected. How pork is farmed in China affects whether your child’s antibiotics are effective in Edinburgh. Whether a woman in Lagos recovers from a C-section is tied to how chickens are raised in South America.

Unless we confront these widespread, global issues, such as how our food is produced and how we utilize our existing drugs, we endanger something invaluable: the ability to treat infections that we take for granted today.