Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: Views: Commentary 739 A the Group of Eight (G8) Summit in L’Aquila, Italy, in July 2009, the leaders of the world’s largest economies committed to “act with the scale and urgency needed to achieve sustainable global food security.” The statement was precipitated by spikes in food prices, a rising incidence of hunger in 2008, a realization that price spikes are likely to recur, and an understanding that global food security is among the most formidable challenges facing all of humankind in the 21st century. This urgent global challenge will require a dramatic and coordinated effort by multiple stakeholders, including a crucial role for the veterinary profession in the United States and the developing world. The world’s livestock sector is growing at an unprecedented rate, driven principally by urbanization and rising incomes. Because of this, annual meat production is projected to increase from 218 million tonnes from 1997 through 1999 to 376 million tonnes by 2030, an increase of more than 70% in 30 years. To meet the demand, global livestock and poultry production must increase in efficiency. Animal-source foods are important for nutrition of young children and pregnant and lactating women because of the high-quality protein and bioavailable micronutrients they contain. Even small quantities of meat, milk, or eggs can make substantial differences to the food security and health of people living in poor communities. The livestock sector can also be an important way of lifting small farmers out of poverty. These factors present the veterinary profession with an opportunity to become a pivotal force in overcoming many aspects of food insecurity by improving the health and economic prospects of millions of small livestock farmers, especially in the developing world, where private and public veterinary services for livestock and poultry production, disease control, animal welfare, and environmental sustainability need to be strengthened. Such long-term, complex challenges require veterinary expertise at multiple levels, especially at the level of formulating and implementing policy. Presently, however, there is an exteme paucity of veterinarians involved in strategic planning in US agencies for international development. We are aware of only a One health, food security, and veterinary medicine
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W2166598625