FAO champions sustainable livestock future during Livestock Week in Rome

ITALY –  The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) brought together hundreds of global stakeholders for its 2025 Livestock Week, held from September 29 to October 3 at its headquarters in Rome, Italy. 

The week-long series of events spotlighted the future of livestock production, focusing on sustainability, innovation and resilience in the face of growing global challenges.

One of the main highlights of Livestock Week was the two-day Global Forum for Animal Feed and Feed Regulators, co-organised with the International Feed Industry Federation. 

The biannual forum drew policymakers, scientists, producers, civil society and private-sector representatives to explore how to ensure animal feed is safe, nutritious and sustainably produced.

FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu opened the forum by emphasising “the importance of collective action to increase fodder and feed production, manage grasslands sustainably and safeguard landscapes, biodiversity and ecosystem services, areas where livestock and pastoralists play a vital role for both people and the planet.”

Feed production, FAO noted, underpins not only livestock productivity but also food security, animal health, and the environment. 

Yet, many countries still lack comprehensive feed regulations or traceability systems aligned with Codex Alimentarius standards, exposing both producers and consumers to potential risks.

Qu stressed the need for science-based, practical regulations to ensure the sustainable management of feed resources, noting that “this is where the role of feed regulators is crucial and is why FAO has convened this Global Forum” as a space for “dialogue, knowledge sharing and consensus-building.”

FAO hoped the forum’s outcomes would guide the establishment of reference centers for animal feed, institutions that would offer technical support to countries and promote collaboration among regulators, laboratories, researchers and the private sector.

From dialogue to action on livestock transformation

Livestock Week also featured the second Global Conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation, a three-day gathering that pushed for “actionable solutions” to transform the livestock sector. 

Under the theme Fostering Change, Scaling Innovations, Driving Solutions, the conference drew representatives from governments, industry associations, research institutions, and development agencies.

Participants examined ways to reduce livestock emissions, improve animal health and welfare, and strengthen food security. 

FAO underscored livestock’s crucial role in livelihoods, noting that the sector supports 1.3 billion people globally and contributes 40% of the world’s agricultural GDP. 

Livestock also provide one-third of global protein intake through meat, milk and eggs, essential sources of nutrition, particularly for children and vulnerable populations.

Still, challenges persist around environmental sustainability, public health and animal welfare. “But we also have the solutions,” Qu said, citing examples of farms converting manure into clean energy and repurposing byproducts into new materials.

California’s Secretary for Food and Agriculture, Karen Ross, shared how the state’s dairy industry has cut methane emissions by investing nearly US$370 million in digesters and other technologies. 

“A total of 353 digesters have been built, resulting in 27.5 million metric tons of greenhouse gas reductions,” she said.

New initiatives and the road ahead

As Livestock Week concluded, FAO unveiled a suite of new global initiatives inspired by the week’s discussions. 

These include the One Health Knowledge & Intelligence Hub and the Sustainable Livestock Transformation Innovation Hub, both designed to accelerate collaboration and innovation.

The organisation also announced the Global Challenge Program for Transboundary Animal Diseases and a network of reference centres for animal feed, aimed at unlocking the potential of the feed sector, particularly in developing regions.

Looking ahead, FAO will host the first-ever Global Conference on One Health in Agrifood Systems in 2026 to further connect animal, human, plant, soil and environmental health.

“The lesson is clear – and science confirms it: When good practices are adopted, livestock systems can be truly sustainable,” Qu said in his closing remarks. “Sustainable livestock transformation must become the norm rather than the exception. This means scaling up good practices, sharing innovations and delivering on commitments.”

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