Environmental impacts and Biodiversity
This theme is about climate change, pollution, and biodiversity. Livestock contributes to climate change and pollutes water and air, because of emissions related to feed production and to manure, and because of enteric fermentation, which causes methane emissions from the gut. Livestock is responsible for 14.5 percent of global greenhouse gases.
Options for improvement are explored, such as coupling of livestock to crop farming and agroforestry (including trees in a farming system to sequester carbon and to improve biodiversity), breeding cattle to fit into alternative farming systems, and the practice of nature protection by farmers. We call this living labs, the practice as a laboratory.
Research themes
Governance and Livelihood
We research governance and livelihoods in sustainable food systems, exploring how policy incentives, certification schemes, and value chains shape transitions towards more just and sustainable livestock farming systems across diverse agricultural contexts
Environmental impacts and Biodiversity
We explore the relationships between livestock farming systems, biodiversity, ecosystems services, and economic outcomes and rewards. We study how livestock contributes to environmental issues, and how to mitigate their impact at various levels, including the farm, the value chain, the region, and the food systems level
Animal welfare
We explore ways to improve the lives of all types of farmed animals. We place particular emphasis on assessing and improving animal welfare by using smart technology and behavioral and health indicators that reflect the emotional state of the animals
Animal Production Systems
Research of Animal Production Systems, led by Simon Oosting, focuses on unravelling the complexity of livestock systems.
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