A new interactive tool, designed to measure greenhouse-gas emissions from livestock-based enterprises, including both backyard and industrial pig production systems, has been released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations.
The tool, which is called GLEAM-i (Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model – interactive) is profiled by FAO as allowing farmers, policy makers and scientists to calculate meat, milk and egg production, as well as greenhouse-gas emissions from livestock, so that they can make their respective sectors more productive and more climate-friendly.
“The objective is to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and ensure that livestock activities are as efficient as possible so that they can continue to contribute to people’s food, nutrition and livelihood needs while utilizing fewer natural resources,” said FAO livestock policy officer, Anne Mottet (pictured above).
“Hundreds of millions of people around the planet depend on livestock for livelihoods, food security and nutrition. Livestock is also particularly important for developing countries where demand for animal protein is growing and for remote and marginal areas, where limited alternatives exist. Yet, it is estimated that the sector is responsible for 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions.”
According to research findings by FAO, GLEAM-i is capable of delivering “feasible and affordable” changes to enable livestock farmers to both increase production and reduce emissions by nearly a third.