ISSUE FOCUS 36 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE December 2023 Fueled by escalating population growth, global demand for sustainable animal protein is growing, placing increasing pressure on the planet’s finite resources. But what does ‘sustainable animal protein’ mean in practical terms, and how can it be transformed from a business value into a business driver? NEW PATHWAYS IN SUSTAINABLE ANIMAL PROTEIN David Nickell VP of Sustainability and Business Solutions, Animal Nutrition and Health dsm-firmenich THE NEED FOR SUSTAINABLE LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION The world’s population is projected to reach 9 billion by 2050. At the same time, demand for healthier, balanced, and more nutrient-dense diets is increasing – driven not only by the growth of the world’s population but also by changing health awareness and consumer expectations. Animal-based proteins are highly nutritious and form a key part of a balanced, healthy diet. Their consumption is also central to many cultures, and animal-sourced foods and other animal-sourced products play an important socio-economic role in those cultures. However, livestock production comes at a cost. This cost is increasingly evident. Rising demand for animal protein is driving up greenhouse gas emissions and piling pressure on natural resources. In some cases, this pressure has already transgressed accepted planetary boundaries. The sustainability of mainstream animal production is consequently coming under increasing scrutiny from the value chain, policy makers and associated stakeholders. This means that continuing to operate as we have done in the past is not an option. All players involved in the production of animal protein need to be aware of the challenges we are facing. We must work together to solve them – applying new thinking, new technologies, and new business models in order to create a more sustainable industry for the whole planet. CHANGING CONSUMER EXPECTATIONS Consumers in general are tending to view livestock farming more and more critically. In some parts of the world – notably China and South-East Asia – demand for animal-sourced foods is growing as populations become more affluent. In others, particularly Europe and the US, there is a trend in certain sections of the population to reduce consumption of animal proteins, leading to more balanced diets. However, per capita consumption of animal protein in these regions still far outstrips levels in other parts of the world. The picture is complex and far from uniform around the globe. Certain things are nevertheless clear. Concern about the sustainability of animal protein production is escalating. For example, wor-
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUxNjkxNQ==