Livestock and Agroecology: Redesigning animal production systems

Animal Physiology & Livestock Systems

Eliel GONZÁLEZ-GARCÍA, Laurence FORTUN-LAMOTHE, Magali JOUVEN,Davi SAVIETTO, Marielle THOMAS,

Jean-Yves DOURMAD, Christian DUCROT, Muriel TICHIT and Bertrand DUMONT

INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE (INRA), FRANCE

Agroecology for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in Europe and Central Asia Budapest -- November 23-25th, 2016

Livestock and Agroecology Redesigning animal production systems

in the 21st century


Climatic Change

Decline of « fossil energy era »

Economical and financial crises

Globalisation

Loss of agricultural land and biodiversity (ex. erosion, desertification, wars…)

Context and challenges

World population growth and demands

Urbanization

Poor population and hungry

A complex and unfair world…


AGRICULTURE (& animal production sector) => highly concerned!!

In terms of:- Food and nutrition security- Land occupation and efficiency of natural resources use- GHG emission, biodiversity and environment conservation- Employment generation- …..

… BUT Animal sector is urged to change its practices

societal pressure: considered a major cause of world’s most pressing environmental problems

14.5%of world GHG

emissions(cattle 9.3%)

35%of crop production 30%

of ice free land

1.3billion ‘jobs’

Proteins, manure, draught power,

bank, social roles, etc.


A pertinent and adapted approach for planning future development of agricultural sector

=> considering major economical, environmental and societal issues

However, paradoxically, animal sector has been largely ignored until recently in the agroeocological paradigm (i.e. focus on agricultural sector)

‘The problem lies not in the animals themselves or in the consumption of animal

products, but rather in the way they are integrated into agroecosystems. […]

Understanding the integration of the animal in its agroecosystem provides levers to

ensure sustainable environmental and economic concerns’ (Gliessman 2007)

Agroecology => for a required change


Contribution of INRA researchers for filling this gap

A multidisciplinary team carried out a deep and consensual work looking for:

- Defining key principles on which animal production systems (APS) must focus to achieve the required agroecological transition

- Proposing the main research issues deserving the attention of animal science community (a “research agenda”)

By carrying out:

- Updating the state of the art (sounds literature reviews) and taking into account the “feeling” and position of all stakeholders- Deep collective reflection (i.e. brainstorming and feedbacks with the

scientific community)


5) Preserving biodiversity by

adapting management

practices

4) Enhancing diversity for increasing

system resilience

2) Reducing inputs by relying

on natural processes

3) Decreasing pollution by optimizing

“metabolic” functioning of

farming systems

1) Adopting integrated

management of animal health

1) Five ecological principles (Dumont et al., 2013; inspired from Altieri, 2002)

Animal (2013), 7:6, pp 1028–1043

5 principles

Connect, diversify & integrate!

Be autonomous!

Be clean!

Protect and defend local natural and cultural richness!


Principles may be combined in a range of farming systems (ruminants, pigs, poultry, aquaculture…) and intensification levels

IMPORTANT: Agroecology and industrial ecology can be seen as part of a continuum to ensure livestock farming sustainability without refusing technological progress!!!:

role of biotechnology Livestock precision farming technologies

Animal (2013), 7:6, pp 1028–1043

Animal (2014), 8:8, pp 1382–1393

System components

Designof agro-

ecological systems

Scaling-up agroecological

APS

Evaluation

2) A RESEARCH AGENDA WITH PRIORITY ISSUES

Increased knowledge will put the animal sector in a

better position to cope with the coming

challenges (not yet fully investigated from an

ecological perspective)


Designof agro-

ecological systems

Evaluation


APS

System components

Resources

Housing

Animals Economy

Environment

Social

Rules for scaling-up

Social and ethical issues

Public actionEXAMPLE of questions

Animal and flock level

Animal (2014), 8:8, pp 1382–1393


Animal adaptive capacities: A HIERARCHICAL APPROACH

Transversals, interdisciplinary actions

Genome

Organ

Individual

Flock

Farm-Environment

Epigenetic marks contributing to adaptations

Improving digestive capacity

Robustness: - Adaptation to heat stress- Efficiency in body reserves administration

- Learning processes- Group selection

Managing for resilience: adapting farming systems to risks and alias


Designof agro-

ecological systems

Evaluation


APS

System components

Resources

Housing

Animals Economy

Environment

Social

Rules for scaling-up

Social and ethical issues

Public action

System design

Animal (2014), 8:8, pp 1382–1393


Valuing interactions among system components Propose context-appropriate combinations of plant and animal

components under “human monitoring and control”

Key words:Þ Biomass and

nutrient recyclingÞ Life cycles

interactionsÞ System components

complementaritiesÞ Short-, medium and

long-term visionÞ quantification of

ecosystem servicesÞ …


Final considerations Agroecology for moving APS toward sustainability:

a pertinent scientific and operational framework implies a more dynamic and integrative perception of

each system component and their interactions requiring a paradigm shift: putting ‘Knowledge as central

and key input! interdisciplinary research (animal sciences, ecology,

social sciences…) in connection with local initiatives Promoting coexistence of AE principles with those of

industrial ecology, urban agriculture…, to reach common objectives!!!


THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION

Agroecology for Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems in Europe and Central Asia Budapest -- November 23-25th, 2016

Livestock and Agroecology Redesigning animal production systems

in the 21st century

Livestock and Agroecology: Redesigning animal production systems

Education

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