Livestock, Poverty and the Environment—A Balancing Act and a
Balanced Account International Livestock Research Institute
Newsletter | April 3, 2013 Territory size shows the proportion
of worldwide meat consumption that occurs there (map by
Worldmapper). Meat consumption per person is highest in Western
Europe, with nine of the top ten meat-consuming populations
living in Western Europe (the tenth in this ranking is New
Zealand). The most meat is consumed in China, where a fifth of
the world population lives. Authors of a new paper setting out
the roles of livestock in developing countries argue that
although providing a ‘balanced account’ of livestock’s roles
entails something of a ‘balancing act’, we had better get on
with it if we want to build global food, economic and
environmental security.