FAO says the world needs to improve its meat production systems
19/12/2011
Populations and income growth are fueling an ongoing trend towards greater per capita consumption of animal protein in developing countries, says the report, World Livestock 2011. Meat consumption is projected to rise by nearly 73% by 2050; dairy consumption will grow by 58% over current levels.
Much of the future demand for livestock production — in particular in the world’s burgeoning cities, where most population growth is occurring — will be met by large-scale, intensive animal-rearing operations.
“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.
It goes on to say that such systems are a source of concern because of environmental impacts such as groundwater pollution and greenhouse gas emissions, as well as their potential to act as incubators of diseases. The report says: “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 the FAO: to reduce the level of pollution generated from waste and greenhouse gases; to reduce the input of water and grain needed for livestock; and to recycle agro-industrial by-products through livestock populations.
Efficiency gains are the only way to meet demand, the FAO insists. This will require capital investment and a supporting policy and regulatory environment. A number of additional challenges must be confronted as well, including drought, water shortages and other climate-related impacts, not to mention the threat of animal diseases, some which may directly threaten human health, which will have to be carefully managed as livestock production is ramped up.
“It is not enough to pour funding into coping with the urgent disease threats of today — disease intelligence and epidemiological research must be financed to anticipate future diseases in the countries that produce the bulk of livestock source food,” it says.
According to the FAO, global production of beef and buffalo meat has increased by 180%, while sheep and goat meat production has gone up by 200%. Across the board, livestock products today supply 12.9% of calories consumed worldwide, but this rises to 20.3% in developed countries. Their contribution to protein consumption is estimated at 27.9% worldwide and 47.8% in developed countries.
“Average consumption of livestock protein in Africa is less than a quarter of that in the Americas, Europe and Oceania, and represents just 17% of the recommended consumption level for all proteins,” says the new FAO report. “By contrast, the consumption of livestock protein in the Americas, Europe and Oceania in 2005 was between 78% and 98% of the total protein requirement, suggesting that livestock products are being over-consumed.”
For livestock-dependent pastoral societies like those in eastern Africa, the report says, priorities should be boosting the sector’s contribution to food security by restoring degraded pastures and managing them better, strengthening animal health services, and doing more to help livestock keepers get their animals and goods to market.
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