Livestock production has become a major envioronmental management
challenge. When its full commodity chain is included, the sector
contributes to global warming, causes stress on land by grazing,
increases demand for water for feed crop production and leads to water
pollution by animal waste and chemicals
It contributes 18 per cent of total greenhouse gas emission,
accounting for 37 per cent of anthropogenic methane emission and 65 per
cent of nitrous oxide
There is a dramatic increase in pasture over last two centuries due to
increasing demand of livestock product. It has created deforestation,
and encroached upon wildlife areas. Livestock production is also moving
towards urban centres, where transport hubs are located Increasing consumption is not distributed equally among world population. Developing Asia has a remarkable increase of 130 per cent in meat product consumption between 1980 and 2002, while sub Sahara reflects a decline of 11 per cent due to poverty
Livestock economy contributes only 1.5 per cent of total global GDP. Though not major economic activity, it is of great political and social importance. It gives 40 per cent of gross domestic agricultural products and employs 1.3 billion. It needs greater focus from policy makers as it provides livelihood to a billion of poors in drylands |
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