Structural changes of global poultry production and the impact on the environment, including on poultry genetic resources Irene Hoffmann and Pierre Gerber, Animal Production and Health Division, FAO Guidance for the poultry sector – issues and options Joint FAO-WPSA Symposium at EPC, Tours, France, 24 August 2010
Contents Poultry production and consumption Structural change Environmental impact Poultry genetic diversity Conclusions
Poultry production and consumption
Per caput consumption of major food items in developing countries – kg per caput per year (index numbers 1961=100) Consumption of livestock products is growing rapidly
Calorie and protein consumption from poultry 90 mill t meat, 63 mill t eggs (2007) 28% of world meat production 2.5% consumption increase globally, 3.4% in LDC to 2030 low consumer price
Growth in production: animal numbers and yields ( )
Structural change
Contribution of livestock production systems to food production GlobalDeveloping countries 68% of eggs and 74% of poultry meat globally from industrial systems data: , Steinfeld et al 2006
Estimated global distribution of poultry
Estimated distribution of industrially produced poultry populations
Geographical concentration of poultry production Three types of clusters Close to markets (poor transport infrastructure) Close to feed resources (well developed transport infrastructure) In areas characterized by low human population density (environmental regulations)
Changes in geographic concentration of hens in Brazil from
Spatial distribution around Bangkok Humans, livestock and feed- crops, 2001
Feed
Growing intensities: based on expanding concentrate use feed concentrate use in 2002, million tons
Increasing trade of feedstuff Maize imports (tons)Soybean imports (tons) developing countries: trade deficit in coarse grain
Livestock production and ecosystems
Land – 26% of emerged land used as pasture/rangeland – 33% of crop land dedicated to feed production Water – 8% of water use mostly for feed – alters the status of the resource (quality and quantity) Biodiversity – wildlife: follow on effects of habitat degradation and destruction – narrowing agricultural biodiversity Climate – 18% of anthropogenic emissions when taking a food chain approach – main causes: deforestation, manure management and enteric fermentation
Projected poultry manure production in Vietnam
Nutrient overload Estimated contribution of livestock to total P2O5 supply on agricultural land, in areas presenting a P2O5 mass balance of more than 10 kg per hectare (1998 to 2000).
Trouble at the mouth of the Mississippi
GHG emissions from livestock: a food chain approach STEP IN FOOD CHAIN ESTIMATED EMISSIONS ESTIMATED CONTRIBUTION BY SPECIES (giga- tonnes) (percent of sector) CattlePigsPoultrySmall rum’ts LULUC ***** ns Feed production0.407 *** ns Animal production *** * **** Manure mgmt ***** ns Processing and transport ***** ns
LCA for 1 MT of broiler Pelletier, 2008
Livestock related LUC: Deforestation in the Neotropics
GraphicResources.aspx Main direct drivers of change of biodiversity in ecosystems
Poultry genetic diversity
Local and transboundary avian breeds
Origin of chicken breeds, by subregion
Trends within breeding industry higher capital investment - vulnerability –high cost for Genomic selection –regulation/standards: biosecurity, welfare etc merger and concentration – economies of scale –implications for genetic diversity? vertical integration, spread risk downstream strategic research partnerships with (public) universities, access to public R&D funds
Productivity differential (production/head) Eggs, primary Poultry meat Partial factor productivity differential between selected developed countries with commercial breeding programmes in all species, and the rest of the world (Production/head) selected developed countries: European Union, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand. data: FAO STAT, 2009
Implications for developing countries < 3 % of total global livestock R&D investment to poultry increasing divide between scientific haves and non- haves –high market access barriers import of GP/PS stock or day-old chickens –low incentives to build own breeding programmes; little characterization, conservation
Countries reporting breeding programmes Structured breeding programmes Chicken20 Turkey5 Ducks8 Geese4 FAO, 2007
Status of poultry GR conservation 26 countries with in situ / ex situ poultry conservation programmes –24 chicken –7 duck –2 geese –2 turkey 11 cryo-conservation programmes for semen, tissue or DNA 50% run by government FAO, 2007
Proportion of the world’s breeds by risk status critical critical-maintained endangered endangered-maintained extinct not at risk unknown 9 % extinct 20 % at risk 36 % unknown FAO, % extinct 31% at risk 40% unknown
Risk status of chicken breeds, by subregion
Threats to poultry genetic resources 310 responses, first threat for breeds being at-risk
Conclusions Environment Protein-energy return on investment 18% for broiler, 7% for eggs (Pelletier, 2008) In most cases, farm level environmental issues are limited FCR reduction = reduced land used to grow feed + GHG emission/output Most of the poultry sector’s environmental impacts are associated with the feed base : deforestation, intensive agriculture, nutrient and water cycles, esp. in regions characterised by high animal concentration Genetic diversity High share of transboundary breeds Intensification and commercialization lead to loss of diversity Conservation supported by hobby breeders and socio- cultural functions