Society has realized there are significant pressures on the world’s food and ecological systems, where the alterations of global biogeochemical cycles could be irreversible and where new drivers, such as climate change, are likely to exert additional pressures for sustainably feeding 9 billion people in the future.

At the same time, and especially in the developing world, the demand for livestock products is increasing, thus adding additional pressures on the world’s natural resources. Not surprisingly the world is asking a big question: what should we do about livestock? There is urgency to reduce the environmental ‘hoofprint’ of livestock production; we also need to evaluate the role of animal products in sustainably feeding the human population in the future.

These questions require sophisticated and disaggregated answers. The sector is large. There are 17 billion animals in the world eating, excreting, and using substantial amounts of natural resources, mostly in the developing world, where most of the growth of the sector will occur.

The roles these livestock play in the developing world are many, spanning from the social to the economic, to the environmental. These can have positive (i.e. income) or negative (i.e. pollution) impacts. These roles and impacts may vary depending on location and a host of other factors. For example, livestock can be polluters in one place, while in another they provide vital nutrients and at times, traction – to support crop production. The picture with regard to livestock-environment is complex.

Whether for its positive or negative roles, livestock are in the spotlight. It is essential to dissect the discussion on the roles of livestock – the economic development of different countries, structure of production, demand for livestock products and competition with other sectors shape these roles. Thus, broad generalisations about the livestock sector are largely useless (and dangerous) as inputs to current global debates on food security and the environment. It is essential to deliver nuanced, scientifically-informed messages about livestock’s roles in relation to food systems, livelihoods and their economic and environmental performance.

The previous ILRI strategy mainly focused its livestock and environment work on natural resource management aspects, however in the last 10 years, the recognition of the environmental problems and inefficiencies of the livestock sector have received significant attention. ILRI has delivered research on livestock and the environment through its PLE theme, concentrating on water resources, feeds, and pastoral systems amongst others. It is only in recent years that ILRI’s research and messaging on livestock and the environment has sought to be more balanced between the “goods” and “bads”. Likewise, the institute has invested heavily in developing a strong climate change program focusing on GHG mitigation and adaptation and ‘futures’ studies that try to identify ways to reduce environmental pressures on the planet that result from increasing demand for livestock products.

In that strategy, environmental issues were not at the center of ILRI’s mandate. Should it be?

Mario and An have identified some queries about our role in this area where we need feedback:

• Does ILRI have the right balance between this kind of research and more livestock and poverty and productivity-orientated research? Are we trying to do too much? Should ILRI engage in research on livestock-environment issues or is there a danger that this spreads the institute’s resources too thinly and environmental issues should be left to others – with ILRI focusing its scarce resources on poverty and productivity oriented research?
• However, environmental problems are at the centre of the debate on the roles of livestock in global food security. If ILRI does not provide sound evidence on ways to reduce livestock’s environmental footprint while at the same time promoting the benefits of livestock, could there be negative repercussions for livelihoods, the environment and food security? There is growing interest in livestock-environment issues – should ILRI be a lead or a supporting player?
• Engaging in livestock and environment issues will lead ILRI to work on issues that are significantly broader than livestock (land use, crop production, others). How could we best do this?

What do you think?

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