Major Gains In Efficiency Of Livestock Systems Needed
FAO report says intensive production coupled with improvements in natural resources use is crucial to feeding world.
Compiled by staff
Published: Dec 15, 2011
By 2050, an expanded world population will be consuming two-thirds more animal protein than it does today, according to a new U.N. Food & Agriculture Organization report, "World Livestock 2011," published Dec. 14.
In the report, FAO said intensive production is key to feeding growing cities, but improvements in natural resource use and environmental performance are crucial.
Populations and income growth are fueling an ongoing trend towards greater per capita consumption of animal protein in developing countries, the report says. Meat consumption is projected to rise nearly 73% by 2050; dairy consumption will grow 58% over current levels.
Much of the future demand for livestock production - particularly in the world's burgeoning cities, where most population growth is occurring - will be met by large-scale, intensive animal-rearing operations, FAO said.
"As it stands, there are no technically or economically viable alternatives to intensive production for providing the bulk of the livestock food supply for growing cities," FAO's report says.
However, such systems are a source of concern due to environmental impacts such as groundwater pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as their potential to act as incubators of diseases, the report warns, cautioning that "an urgent challenge is to make intensive production more environmentally benign."
Based on existing knowledge and technology, there are three ways to do this, according to FAO: (1) reduce the level of pollution generated from waste and greenhouse gases; (2) reduce the input of water and grain needed for each output of livestock protein, and (3) recycle agro-industrial byproducts through livestock populations.
Source: Feedstuffs
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