Tackling a crisis as complex and interconnected as climate change is anything
but simple. Throw in global food insecurity and it’s even harder. But the world
is losing
ground
in the fight to eliminate hunger and malnutrition, so that’s where we are.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)’s latest
State of Food and Nutrition report, nearly 670 million people – or eight
percent of the world’s
population – will still be
undernourished in 2030, especially in the Global South; the United States
Department of Agriculture finds that 34 million people in the US,
including 9 million children, don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
The increasing need for affordable, nutritious food — combined with the fact
that demand for animal protein sources will increase 50-70
percent
by 2050 to meet the needs of a growing
population — means that we cannot
approach climate change without an eye towards the sustainable production of
meat, milk and eggs.
These foods, rich with essential vitamins and micronutrients, not only play a
critical role in feeding our world but also in supporting economic
stability. In the Global South,
livestock supports the livelihoods of almost 1.3 billion people; in the US, the
beef industry directly and indirectly accounts for more than 1.4 million
full-time
jobs
and more than $188 billion in output to the national economy.
There is ongoing debate over whether conventional livestock
agriculture
has a place in a healthy economy on a thriving planet. But healthy animals and
responsible farming
practices
can contribute to economic stability, hearty nutrition and a healthy
environment. In fact, livestock agriculture holds great and still untapped
potential in fostering soil
fertility,
biodiversity
and increased carbon
sequestration;
and farmers across the globe are already cultivating innovative and
nature-positive approaches to livestock management — the most essential of which
is animal health. It's simple: Healthier animals optimize resources — which, in
turn, reduces food-related impacts on the environment. And the best way to
ensure healthy animals is to ensure access to veterinary care, vaccines, labs,
and testing. Unfortunately many rural and remote areas around the world lack
access to such
care,
leaving their livestock extremely vulnerable.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference
(COP27)
in Egypt focused on implementing the commitments made at COP26, with strong
calls for food to be an integral part of the climate discussions. The historic
Loss and Damage
Fund
coming out of the negotiations put agriculture onto the agenda of the United
Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change for the first time; but they
failed to adequately address the role of livestock in securing a sustainable
future. It is critical that countries integrate animal health into these plans —
plans which must include strengthening veterinary services at a national level
and implementing large investments in livestock-focused actions, such as
national vaccination campaigns. Unfortunately, only 14 of 148
countries that submitted
climate action plans in 2021 that specifically included animal health —
underscoring the underutilized potential for animals to help mitigate climate
impacts.
The lack of veterinary care faced by communities across the globe will become
even more devastating to animal health, farmer livelihoods and the environment
as extreme weather and rising global temperatures caused by climate change wreak
havoc on livestock
health
in the coming years. Warmer temperatures not only increase risks of food and
water shortages, but also vector-borne
diseases
such as Lyme disease, bluetongue, lumpy skin disease, and infections such as an
increased occurrence of
mastitis
in dairy cows. Climate change is projected to cost cattle producers up to $40
billion in financial losses
annually
by the end of this century; 20 percent of which is linked to disease.
Efforts are being made to advance quality animal care. Over the past five years,
through our African Livestock Productivity and Health Advancement
(ALPHA) initiative
(launched in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation) we have
seen firsthand the impact that access to quality veterinary medicines and
services, diagnostic laboratory networks and veterinary training can have in
Sub-Saharan Africa. As a result of introducing veterinary livestock products
to the region including vaccines, parasitic treatments and medicines; providing
access to operational serology labs where diagnostic testing can be performed;
and getting more farmers, veterinarians and para-veterinarians trained, we have
seen 128 million animals receive quality prevention and treatment for disease —
thereby ensuring healthier animals produce the meat, milk and eggs the region
needs.
Significant strides are also being made in developed countries where livestock
care is already advanced. Here, increased sustainability in beef and dairy
farming is improved by genomic
testing, which is
helping livestock farmers and ranchers make informed predictions about whether
an animal will be more susceptible to disease — allowing producers to make
strategic operational decisions that help animals stay healthier longer. In
addition, precision animal health technologies help provide livestock farmers
access to the data they need to manage their animals more efficiently — helping
to prevent disease and treat sick animals. But further development and access to
these technologies is needed to help cattle producers predict, prevent, detect
and treat even more diseases.
The FAO estimates that
livestock emissions could fall by as much as 30 percent through wider adoption
of existing technologies and best practices in animal health and husbandry. All
stakeholders — from private and public, to corporations and governments — must
consider the role healthy animals play in sustainable nutrition and
climate-change mitigation, and find ways to expand access to preventative care
in emerging markets and prioritize animal health as a pathway for emissions
reductions. Only by taking a holistic food-systems approach that includes
sustainable livestock as part of the solution can we make meaningful progress in
achieving UN Sustainable Development Goals including Zero Hunger, No Poverty and
Climate Action.
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Jeannette Ferran Astorga is Executive Vice President of Corporate Affairs & Communications and Chief Sustainability Officer at Zoetis — a leader in animal healthcare that made both Fortune's Change the World List and Fast Company's 10 most innovative companies in corporate social responsibility in 2022. She also serves as President of the Zoetis Foundation.
Published Jan 27, 2023 7am EST / 4am PST / 12pm GMT / 1pm CET