Livestock - environment
In the policy dialogue

Livestock Policy Briefs Livestock Policy briefs
facing the opportunities and challenges of the livestock sector

Papers in this series of Livestock Policy Briefs explore critical issues related to livestock production, identify policy options that can be considered and highlight examples of approaches that have proven succcessful.
Rapid growth of livestock production in recent years has fueled hopes for accelerated economic development, but also fears of increased social inequity and environmental degradation. Comprehensive and effective policies are required to ensure that continued expansion of the livestock sector contributes to poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability and public health.

Cover Livestock Policy brief 03
English
Espaņol
Livestock Policy brief 03
Cattle ranching and deforestation

Over the past quarter century, forests have been cleared from an area the size of India.
Particularly in Central and South America, expansion of pastures for livestock production has been one of the driving forces behind this wholesale destruction.
Deforestation causes incalculable environmental damage, releasing billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and driving thousands of species of life to extinction each year.
Effective policies are urgently needed to discourage expansion of livestock production in forest areas and promote sustainable grazing systems that will halt the cycle of degradation and abandonment on cleared forest lands.
Cover Livestock Policy brief 02
English
Espaņol
Livestock Policy brief 02
Pollution from industrialized livestock production

In recent decades, livestock production has increased rapidly, often generating acute soil and water pollution. Policy options exist to mitigate them.
Most of the increased production comes from industrial farms clustered around major urban centres.
Such large concentrations of animals and animal wastes close to dense human population often cause considerable pollution problems.
The rapid growth of livestock production highlights the urgent need for effective policies to regulate intensive livestock operations and support environmentally and economically sustainable approaches to handling waste.
Cover Livestock Policy brief 01
English
Franįais
Espaņol
Livestock Policy brief 01
Responding to the “Livestock Revolution”

Rapid growth in livestock production has great potential to propel sustainable progress on many fronts. It also has great potential to threaten both sustainability and progress.
It can contribute to poverty reduction
... or erode the opportunities and livelihoods of poor producers.
It can enhance nutrient recycling and
soil fertility
... or degrade soil, pollute water and accelerate global warming.
It can improve nutrition and health
... or increase the risk of epidemics for both animals and humans.
Effective public policies are essential to ensure that livestock contribute to broad development goals and to minimize damage to social equity, the environment and public health.

Cover of the E-book Analyses of the impact of support Policies and programs
on Animal resources development in Turkey

In recent years, Turkey's livestock sector has displayed two clear trends: declining animal numbers and increased productivity. Historical livestock inventory data shows that Turkey's sheep, goat, and cattle inventory numbers were increasing before the 1980s but decreased thereafter. Sheep, goat, and cattle inventories have all shown a general decline since the early 1980s. According to State Institute of Statistics (SIS) data, Turkey had a 49.6 million sheep in 1982. The sheep inventory dropped to 29.4 million head by 1998. Goat inventories also declined from 18.9 million head in 1981 to 8.1 million head in 1998. Turkey's cattle inventory decreased from 19.0 million head in 1981 to 11.0 million head in 1998. In contrast to the red meat sector, broiler meat and egg production has steadily increased during the same period [...]
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