What livestock has to offer to biodiversity and healthy soils

Topic 2020

“The continuous, accelerating decline in biodiversity is of particular concern as biodiversity provides the fabric of life with a range of ecosystems services which are crucial for human well-being“. “Main direct drivers of biodiversity loss, in order of their importance, are land use change, overexploitation (through intensive agriculture, forestry and fishing practices), climate change, pollution and invasive species” . 2020 will be the year of biodiversity with the UN aiming to develop a post-2020 framework.

Livestock is often blamed for its contribution to biodiversity losses but the reality is more complex. The effects of livestock on biodiversity are variable across farming systems and livestock production can also make a positive contribution to biodiversity objectives and preservation of habitats. Very often, research initiatives on soil fertility do not include animal farming. Still, livestock is a reservoir of solutions to increase soil C-sequestration, biological fertility, organic matter, etc. In some cases, it generates in negative impacts as emission of reactive N and dissemination of medicine residues or antimicrobial resistance.

ATF would like to explore the different pathways, needs in cooperation and R&I to support an animal production able to contribute to ecosystems remediation, whatever in soils and on biodiversity.

 

Videos – ATF-EAAP special session

Videos – ATF seminar