Livestock and Food Security

Livestock & Food SecurityAnimal Science for the Hungry Poor

Lindsay Falvey

University of Melbourne

Livestock are critical to basic food-security, and food security is the first principle of national and

international security. Food-insecure populations emigrate and undermine precarious States.

Food scarceWeak governanceInsecurity

• The major global issue • 1° role of gov’t & dev’t• Survival food not hamburgers•Not ‘preferences’ & ‘$ to buy’

Livestock & Food Security: Prof. Lindsay Falvey


Seeing Livestock Correctly

• Not just meat & milk• Economic > financial analyses• Herding & small farms efficient • Indigenous breeds productive• Use wastes & non-arable lands


Livestock Production Systems

• Rangeland• Integrated farming • Intensive production • Landless systems

provide 20% of food energy & 28% of protein




Dietary Protein and Energy, and Undernourishment per Region [FAOSTAT]


Increases in Average Global Animal Product Output per Person [FAOSTAT]


Livestock Products in Food Security

• Amino acids, Fe, Zn, vit A & B12, Ca• Small amounts large benefit• Fe deficient – 1.6 billion • Child mental dev’t: 40–60% LDC



Calorie Consumption Ranking of Animal Products IFPRI (2010)



World Animal Production (mill. t.) by Production System, 2001-03


Alternative Livestock View

•Pastoralists•Small mixed farmers•Urban populationsLivestock & Food Security: Prof. Lindsay Falvey

1. Pastoralists

• 120 million• 19% of world meat & 12% of milk• Australia – lamb 45% exported• Mongolia – 30% GDP, 20% export $• Sophisticated in difficult landscapes


2. Small Mixed Farmers

• 48% world beef, 53% milk• Asian integrated farm (use waste, insect control, fertilizer …)• 2 billion persons• Higher efficiencies


Stylized Integrated Small Farm Devendra, C. and Leng, R.A. (2011)


3. Urban Populations • ½ world’s population• Food-poverty nexus• 300 million extremely poor, mostly in Asia

Some Alternatives:Animals within citiesPeriurban farmsContract-growers linked to citiesHome productionTrade in low-value animal partsAlternative foods



Livestock’s Future in Food Security

• 2050: 230% more poultry; other livestock 160% • Needs innovation & initiative• Research $ - China now the leader

Aquacultured fish at homeHome-caged rodents and rabbits Insect and larvae farms Factory meat-type protein products ‘Protein biscuits’ from wastes

‘following the obvious path is not likely to lead to a novel question, interpretation or solution’ Doherty



The Challenge for Animal Scientists

• Grazing & small mixed farms • Intensive poultry & pigs for cities• Asian-derived systems• Livestock = food ‘stock’• Research • Enlighten ‘Blind-spots’ like dairying

Can we do it?Livestock & Food Security: Prof. Lindsay Falvey