Why Livestock Matter

Sustainable Livestock for DevelopmentMaking the case

The world’s cows, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and other farm animals are essential to the well-being of some one billion people living in chronic poverty, hunger and undernutrition. Most of these people are living on, and off of, small farms in rural areas of the Global South, where raising livestock and selling the foods their animals produce are rare pathways to a better life.

At the same time, unsustainable livestock production systems can degrade lands and waters, speed global warming and put public health at risk. In addition, many of the world’s wealthier, urbanizing populations are facing an obesity crisis by over-eating foods, including meat, milk and eggs produced in industrial systems that can harm animal, human and environment well-being alike.

This Why Livestock Matter website exists to provide professionals, investors and policymakers with the best available scientific evidence on how smaller scale livestock systems contribute positively to the resilience and health of the world's poor, sustainable development processes and climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.

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Sustainable Livestock for DevelopmentMaking the case

What you need to know

How are livestock and the environment connected?

Help small-scale livestock keepers adapt to, as well as mitigate, climate change

Enhance small-scale livestock systems to help mitigate climate change

Promote integrated agricultural solutions for optimal use of land and water resources

Use livestock systems to manage land, water and biodiversity resources sustainably