The role of livestock in food affordability

Affordability of meat for global consumers and the need to sustain investment capacity for livestock farmers.

Livestock agriculture is crucial to the global food system economically, socially, and culturally. Livestock is the most common form of private capital globally, particularly in Africa and South Asia, where it serves as a financial asset and offers insurance and credit. Meat, a nutrient-dense food, represents 40% of global agricultural GDP. It is essential for a sustainable future, contributing to economic prosperity and social well-being.

Concerning health and food security, meat provides highly bioavailable proteins and other nutrients, but its global availability and sufficiency are contentious topics. Protein sufficiency varies based on assumptions, with estimates ranging from no gap to needing an 80% increase to meet global needs. By 2050, protein demand could increase by 20% to 150%, depending on assumptions.

In 2017, 37% of the global population could not afford a healthy daily meal, equating to about 3 billion people, mainly coming from low-income countries. The COVID-19 pandemic, the Ukraine crisis, and inflation have likely worsened this situation. Protein-rich foods are costly, particularly in low-income countries, where high-quality nutrients, not energy-dense foods, drive up prices. Pulses and nuts are affordable protein sources with high preparation costs and storage challenges. Moreover, they lack sufficient levels of other priority nutrients readily available in animal-source foods.

Livestock adapts to diverse ecosystems, unlike agronomically demanding crops, making it a viable option for food security. However, with the global population projected to reach 10 billion by 2050, primarily in low-income areas, the affordability gap for nutritious food will likely grow.

Increasing livestock production is essential, particularly in low-income countries where debt, weak institutions, and underdeveloped markets hamper investment. Increased livestock investment is needed as it can boost food security and environmental sustainability, especially for smallholders. Technological advances in breeding, feed, and precision management are needed to improve livestock performance, creating investment opportunities.

See the full Paper by Peer Ederer, Isabelle Baltenweck, James N Blignaut, Celso Moretti, Shirley Tarawali, “Affordability of meat for global consumers and the need to sustain investment capacity for livestock farmers | Animal Frontiers | Oxford Academic (oup.com)“