Learning Event No. 6, Session 2: Steinfeld. ARDD2012 Rio,

The Sustainable Livestock Agenda

www.livestockdialogue.org

The livestock sector is resource-hungry

~ 70 of total agricultural land, 35 % of all crop land

~ 60 % of total anthropogenic biomass appropriation

~ 29 % of agricultural water useGreenhouse gas emissionsDriver of deforestation (pasture, soy)

and degradationMajor source of water pollution

Point of DepartureThe livestock sector is resource-hungry The sector has specific resource issues

◦Low NRU efficiency◦geographic dispersion (extensive systems)◦geographic clustering (intensive systems)

Demand will continue to grow and needs to be accommodated within finite resources

Potential for social, health and economic gains needs to be seized

A Global Agenda of Action

• Focus: Livestock sector’s natural resource use – social, economic and health aspects need to be safeguarded

• Nature: Open, voluntary, informal, consensual, action-oriented, multi-stakeholder (public, private, civil society, research, international organizations)

• Process: Broad stakeholder consultations to create awareness, agree on objectives, priorities and concepts (ongoing)

Direction of ChangeImproving the efficiency of natural resource useThree focus areas:

1. Close the efficiency gap: catching up in technology adoption

2. Restore value to grasslands: supporting soil carbon, ecosystem health and productivity restoration with climate finance

3. Zero discharge: towards full recovery of nutrient and energy from animal manure

Closing the Efficiency Gaptotal greenhouse gas emissions and milk output per cow

0.00

2.00

4.00

6.00

8.00

10.00

12.00

0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 8,000 9,000

Output per cow, kg FPCM per year

kg C

O2-

eq. p

er k

g FP

CM

Closing the efficiency gapResource constraints have started to

“bite”Huge gaps between attainable and

actually attained efficiencyGaps can be narrowed with existing

technologyGlobally there is more gain from large

numbers of producers catching up than from pushing the frontier

Prices need to reflect true scarcities of natural resources

Closing the natural resource use efficiency gap

Actions Govern-ments

PrivateSector

Civil Society Org.

Science

Inter Governmental Org.

Define and measure efficiency

Assess natural resource use efficiency gap and options to close the gap

Develop PPPs for innovation and technology transfer

Promote investments in efficiency improvement

What has changed: The natural resource constraint has become “real”

Expected result: More knowledge -intensive practices, with more efficient natural resource use

Restoring Value to Grasslands:Potential C sequestration in natural grasslands

Through grazing practices, 20 year horizon

Restore value to grasslandsGrasslands:

◦ often heavily degraded◦ home to the poorest people globally

Carbon finance and other PES can alter the production function of grasslands, particularly in marginal areas

Develop a “business case” for grasslands – multiple, global and local, environmental services

Certification methodologies are required Institutional mechanisms for benefit sharing need

to be developed Income and development in areas without

alternatives to livestock

Restoring value to grasslands

Actions Govern-ments

PrivateSector

Civil Society Org.

Science

Inter Governmental Org.

Assess potential for carbon sequestration and synergies with food security

Develop monitoring and certification methodologies

Pilot institutional and technical approaches

Develop intergovernmental support for grasslands, e.g. through NAMAs

What has changed: Payment for Environmental Services and climate change finance can reverse the neglect of grasslands and enhance productivity and incomes

Expected result: Pastoralist adopt practices that provide environmental services and improve food security

Estimated distribution of industrialized produced pig populations. Livestock’s Long Shadow, 2006

Globally-900,000,000 hogs

Towards zero discharge: Recovery of nutrients and energy from animal manure

Issue: Discharge of animal manure into the environment caused by geographic concentration of livestock total amounts of nutrients in livestock

excreta > synthetic fertilizers50 to 90 percent of nutrients contained in

feed are excreted as manure, 30 % of energyTechnology exists to recover most of the

energy (biogas) and nutrients (except N)Policies to address spatial distribution of

livestock are required

Recovery of nutrient and energy from animal manure

Actions Govern-ments

PrivateSector

Civil Society Org.

Science

Inter Governmental Org.

Analyze the clustering trend and assess the constraints to improved practices

Develop regional networks for policy advise

Create opportunities for nutrient recycling and energy recovery

Foster the development of PPPs for technology transfer and adoption

What has changed: Discharge of animal manure is less and less accepted

Expected result: Increased nutrient and energy recovery from manure, resulting in reduced pollution

The Agenda: what’s new?

The thematic focus◦ Puts the livestock sector on a sustainable growth

path◦ Offers strong synergies between economic gains

and environmental impact reduction

The action-orientation (change in practice)◦ Build on the sense of urgency to put what we know

into practice

Value added of the multi-stakeholder engagement◦ Convergence of interests and action will translate

into change of practices

THANK YOU

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www.livestockdialogue.org