Mangaluru: Nitte (Deemed to be University) has been re-designated by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations as a Reference Centre for Antimicrobial Resistance and Aquaculture Biosecurity for five years, extending its tenure until 2031. The university was first designated as an FAO Reference Centre for the 2022-2026 period, placing it among four globally recognised centres working in these areas. Following an evaluation of its work over the past four years, FAO renewed the designation for 2026-2031.The re-designation certificate was presented at FAO headquarters in Rome during the FAO Global Conference for Actions on One Health, held from Sept 21 to 23. Nitte vice-chancellor Dr MS Moodithaya received the certificate from Godfrey Magwenzi, FAO deputy director-general, in the presence of assistant directors-general Dr Thanawat Tiensin and Dr Manuel Barange.The Nitte delegation included Dr Indrani Karunasagar, head of the Nitte FAO Reference Centre, and Dr Iddya Karunasagar, former FAO senior food safety officer and adviser to the centre. Representatives of FAO Reference Centres from India, China, the United States and Italy later met for a workshop in Rome on Sept 24 and 25 to review experiences and plan future collaborations. Dr Iddya Karunasagar and Dr Indrani Karunasagar presented India’s experiences and led a working group developing an action plan for future activities.Hosted by the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Lazio e della Toscana (IZSLT), the workshop brought together experts in aquatic animal health and biosecurity. Discussions identified opportunities for joint initiatives with FAO and Reference Centres in China, the UK, the US and Italy, which are expected to shape Nitte University’s work during its new five-year term.
