Use of land-based and aquatic alternative feed resources to establish a circular economy within livestock production

Abstract

The livestock sector is a major component of agriculture and plays a crucial role in achieving food security worldwide. Livestock production plays a significant role in fulfilling future demands for livestock products in light of the rising global population and improving the socioeconomic status of people, particularly in developing countries. For this, it is important to identify and utilize novel feed resources that are less competitive with human foods. Additionally, it is desirable that such feed materials contribute towards minimizing the environmental footprints of the livestock sector and can assist in coping with undesirable consequences of climate change in future livestock production. Proper utilization of alternative and environment-friendly land-based and aquatic resources can play a vital role in establishing sustainable and efficient livestock production in the future. This paper highlights how sustainability within the livestock sector can be achieved by utilizing various alternative resources, mainly focusing on insects, marine macroalgae, and freshwater aquatic plants and algae. Finally, it is also discussed how capacity building within the alternative feed resources could play a central role in achieving a Circular Economy in livestock production through Education and Research (CEER) activities.