The value of animal health innovations for sustainable livestock transformation
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HealthforAnimals ;
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Improving animal health is increasingly recognized as a vital pathway for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the global livestock sector while also supporting food security, climate resilience, and animal welfare. Livestock diseases lower productivity, increase emissions intensity, and drive inefficient resource use, leading to greater land pressure, antimicrobial use, and economic losses for farmers. These impacts are particularly severe in low- and middle-income countries where veterinary infrastructure is limited, resulting in higher emissions per unit of animal-source food and greater risks to human nutrition and livelihoods.Building on the Food and Agriculture Organization’s Pathways to Lower Emissions report, this document highlights practical, context-specific interventions to improve animal health, including vaccines, parasite control, biosecurity, diagnostics, improved feed, and selective breeding. Many of these measures align with other mitigation strategies such as nutrition and breeding improvements, together offering a potential 35% reduction in livestock-related GHG emissions—equivalent to about 4% of total global emissions.Beyond mitigation, healthier animals adapt better to climate extremes, lowering emissions intensity and enhancing productivity, thereby supporting the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2 on ending hunger. The report emphasizes that while a wide range of low-tech and advanced innovations exist, scaling them up requires investment, enabling policies, partnerships, and multi-stakeholder engagement. Ultimately, advancing animal health is central to sustainable livestock transformation, ensuring resilient food systems, reduced climate impact, and improved livelihoods worldwide.