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It takes, on average, 3 kg of grain to produce 1 kg of meat,
given that part of the production is based on other sources of
feed, rangeland and organic waste (FAO, 2006). Currently, 33
% of the cropland area is thus used for livestock (FAO, 2006
livestocks long shadow). In addition, about 16,000 litres of vir-
tual water are needed to produce 1 kg of meat (Chapagain and
Hoekstra, 2008). Hence, an increased demand for meat results
in an accelerated demand for water, crop and rangeland area.
Meat production is energy inefficient and environmentally
harmful at industrial scales and with intense use of feed crops
such as maize and soybeans. Chicken production is among
the most energy-efficient, although still more energy-demand-
ing than cereal production. Many farmers feed their animals
organic waste from farm households or agricultural by-prod-
ucts that are unsuitable for human consumption. Small-scale
pig farms often use organic residuals from restaurants and the
food industry as fodder. If animals are part of an integrated
farm production system, the overall energy efficiency can be
actually increased through better utilization of organic waste
(CTech, 2008). This is not the case for mass production of
pigs and poultry in specialized stables, which may take up an
increasingly larger proportion of the production of feed crops
(Keyzer
et al
., 2005).
It is also important to note that much meat production takes
place on extensive grasslands. But while often a threat to bio-
diversity and a source of competition with wild ungulates and
birdlife (UNEP, 2001; FAO, 2008b), this requires very little or
no input of commercial feed. Furthermore, it plays a crucial role
in food security in many mountain areas, as well as in dry and
steppe regions, including in Africa, Central Asia and the Andes.
Stabilizing the current meat production per capita by reducing
meat consumption in the industrialized world and restraining
it worldwide to 2000 level of 37,4 kg/capita in 2050 would free
estimated 400 million tons of cereal per year for human con-
sumption – or enough to cover the annual calorie need for 1.2
billion people in 2050. However, changing consumption pat-
terns may be very difficult in the short-term. Increasing food
supply by developing alternatives to cereals and improving feed
efficiency in commercial feed may however have a much great-
er potential for increasing food supply (See box).
FOOD FROM ANIMAL FEED
FINDING ALTERNATIVE FEED SOURCES
Choice of food – where choice exists – is a complex mix of tradi-
tions, religion, culture, availability and not the least, financial
constraints. However, while many of these also apply to live-
stock, our ability to change the feed destined for livestock and
aquaculture is probably greater than that of changing people’s
food choice habits, which are not as easily controlled. As cereal
products are increasingly used as feed for livestock, estimated
to be at least 35–40% of all cereal produced in 2008 and pro-
jected to reach nearly 45–50% by 2050 if meat consumption
increases (adapted from FAO, 2003; 2006), finding alterna-
tive feed sources provides a huge potential for increasing the