parts of the UK’s agricultural land are used to grow grain crops to feed farm animals instead of humans in an “inherently inefficient” process, the wildlife charity WWF said.
The conservation organization is calling for a transformation of the UK’s food system, which he says is currently fueling climate change and the destruction of the natural world, to make it healthier, greener and safer.
A WWF report says 40% of productive arable land in the UK – about two million hectares – is used to grow wheat and barley to feed farm animals.
To make our food system truly shock-resistant, we need to accelerate a shift towards sustainable production
Half of the country’s wheat crop goes to feed livestock, mostly chickens and pigs, and will be enough to produce nearly 11 billion loaves of bread, he said.
In addition, the UK imports large quantities of soy to feed pigs and poultry, and relies on 850,000 hectares of land abroad to grow the crops, contributing to the destruction of habitats such as Brazil’s Cerrado, home to jaguars, giants anteaters and armadillos.
Dairy, egg and meat products provide only a third of the calories consumed in the UK and just under half of the population’s protein intake, despite livestock, grazing and livestock crops accounting for 85% of the Take up UK agricultural land, WWF said.
The report says replacing animal feeds such as soy and grain with alternatives, including food waste and innovative ingredients such as insects, could free up land to grow food for humans, which is more efficient, and creates space for nature.
Slower-growing poultry can even be incorporated into a pasture-based system, where up to a quarter of their food is replaced by fed vegetation, nuts, berries, insects and snails.
This approach would require a reduction in overall numbers of livestock in the UK, he admits, but said British cows and sheep, which are largely fed on pasture pasture, could be a key part of a game-friendly farming system.
The charity said livestock could play an important role in fertilizing the soil, through manure, and – with protection for nature – using grazing land where it was not possible to grow crops on a scale.
WWF also said that people in the UK currently consume more calories, protein and animal foods than recommended, and experts say that more than half of our protein should come from plant-based sources.
The report recommends a focus on “less but better” meat that supports production that values nature, animal welfare and farmers’ livelihoods, and emphasizes the need to look at all the environmental impacts of different livestock, not just carbon emissions.
It calls for support for innovation, such as raising insects and seaweed feed, and for a review of how food waste can safely be a source of low environmental impact animal feed.
Kate Norgrove, executive director of advocacy and campaigns at WWF, said: “With soaring food prices, we can not afford to stay locked into a food system that is not fit for purpose.
“Far too much of the food we eat is produced in ways that fuel the climate crisis and drive catastrophic natural loss, yet fail to provide affordable, healthy food for all.
“To make our food system truly shock-resistant, we need to accelerate a shift towards sustainable production, including the way we use large quantities of the UK’s most productive land to grow food for livestock instead of humans.
“UK governments can make our food future-proof and at the same time have great benefits for nature and climate by stepping up support for farmers to transform our landscapes, and make room for nature in farms and forests, fields and fences,” he said. she encouraged.