OECD, FAO: Middle-income countries expected to produce, eat more meat

Production and calorie intake of animal-source products are expected to increase as incomes rise in middle-income countries, but further increases in food production through improvements in agricultural productivity will be necessary to reduce under-nourishment and agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at a global level, according to a new report released today by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The report said, “Global production of agricultural and fish commodities is projected to expand by about 14% through to 2034, mainly enabled by productivity gains in middle-income countries. But this growth entails expanded animal herds and cropland areas. While the output of meat, dairy products and eggs is set to increase by 17%, total global inventories of cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry will expand by 7%. These developments will lead to a 6% increase in direct agricultural GHG emissions over the next decade, reflecting a declining carbon intensity of global direct emissions associated with on-farm production.”