SUSTAINABILITY 86 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE October 2024 FARM-GATE EMISSIONS Global farm-gate emissions (related to the production of crops and livestock) grew by 14% between 2000 and 2021, to 7.8 Gt CO2 eq, see below. 53% come from livestock-related activities, and the emissions from enteric fermentation generated in the digestive system of ruminant livestock were alone responsible for 37 percent of agricultural emissions (FAOSTAT 2023). LAND USE FOR LIVESTOCK Land use emissions contribute a large share to agricultural emissions overall, especially through deforestation (~74% of land-use GHG emissions). The numbers have declined in recent years, to a total of 21% reduction between 2000 and 2018. The other side of the coin is represented by the increased land usage for livestock, either directly for grazing or indirectly for feed crops. 1. Pasture and grazing land 1950: Approximately 3.2 billion hectares (7.9 billion acres) were used as permanent pastures. Present: The area has increased to around 3.5 billion hectares (8.6 billion acres). Change: An increase of about 0.3 billion hectares (0.7 billion acres). 2. Land for feed crops 1950: The land area dedicated to growing feed crops (such as corn and soy) was significantly less than today due to lower livestock production intensities and smaller scale operations. Feed crops likely accounted for about 200-250 million hectares of the cropland, although figures are evidently difficult to estimate. Present: Of the approx. 5 billion hectares of land globally used for agriculture, about 1.5 billion hectares are dedicated to cropland. The increase in cropland hectares is a direct consequence of the intensification of demand for livestock production. To keep these numbers in check, it is essential that producers strive to use as little feed as possible for as much meat yield as possible – and this directly relates to a key metric of the feed additive industry: Feed Conversion Ratio, mentioned above. THE ROLE OF FOOD LOSS IN LIVESTOCK SUSTAINABILITY The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations defines food loss as the decrease in quantity or quality of food resulting from decisions and actions by food suppliers in the chain, excluding retail, food service providers, and consumers. Food loss specifically refers to food that gets spilled, spoiled, or lost before it reaches the consumer stage, primarily taking place during production, post-harvest, processing, and distribution stages. Food loss is currently estimated to be relatively stable over the last decades, at around 13%. Key aspects of food loss 1. Stages of Food Loss: • Production: Losses that occur during agricultural production, including damage by pests or diseases and inefficiencies in harvesting techniques. • Post-Harvest Handling and Storage: Losses that happen due to inadequate storage facilities, poor handling practices, and lack of proper cooling or processing facilities. World Farm-Gate Greenhouse Gas Emissions by Activity 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 21% 21% 10% 10% 9% 12% 37% 12% 13% 12% 36% 9% Billion tonnes CO2eq 2000 2005 2010 2015 2021 Enteric fermentation Manure left on pasture On-farm energy use Drained organic soils Other Rice cultivation Note: Percentages on the figure indicare the shares in the total; they may noy tally due to rounding. Source: FAO 2023. Emissions totals. In: FAOSTAT. Rome. [Cited October 2023.] Source: FAO Figure 6.
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