When Water Flows Back to Land

Rivers and coastlines are not the end of the story; they are stepping-stones back to farms, markets and homes. TULIP traces how antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes picked up in water re-enter terrestrial systems through irrigation, aquaculture, shellfish harvesting and even aerosolised sea spray. Once on land, these microbes can mingle with livestock microbiomes, contaminate fresh produce or spread via human contact.

Understanding this “spillback” loop is essential for a One Health strategy that protects people, animals and ecosystems together. TULIP’s interdisciplinary teams link river sampling to farm-gate surveys, crop-field soil tests and hospital antibiograms. The goal is to pinpoint the pressure points—such as untreated irrigation canals or flood-prone pasturelands—where interventions will break the chain most effectively. In doing so, the project moves beyond siloed fixes toward integrated, cross-sector policies that keep resistance from cycling endlessly between land and water.