WILLAGRI
The ecological footprint of livestock farming is no longer to be demonstrated. Is Africa concerned when its meat consumption is very low? According to FAO data, this figure rises to 15 kg per capita. The world average is 44kg. Meat consumption is excessive in some countries, such as the United States, Australia or Argentina where it reaches 100kg per year. In October 2018, the scientific journal Nature published a study that highlighted the significant environmental footprint of global meat production. She then proposed a diet described as “flexitarian” (which limits meat consumption without excluding it). On a global scale, the study recommended reducing beef consumption by 80% by mid-century, pork consumption by 88%, lamb consumption by 70% and poultry consumption by 50%.
African meat consumption has been on the rise in recent decades, driven by urbanization and changes in eating habits. Africa has room to increase its meat consumption. She doesn’t consume enough! The meat market is well integrated and the flow of livestock flows is fluid from producing areas to deficit areas. Chad, Mauritania, Mali and Niger are important players in intra-regional trade in meat products, supplying cities such as Dakar, Lagos, Yaoundé and Abidjan.
Source: Ecofin Agency