Multifunctionality and diversity of livestock grazing systems for sustainable food systems throughout the world: Are there learning opportunities for Europe?

Throughout the world, livestock grazing systems (LGS) include, and provide livelihoods for, many rural populations. These LGS are represented in a wide variety of agroecological contexts and offer a huge variety of system organization. They contribute to sustainable food systems by providing multiple products including low-cost edible proteins and energy, draft power, outputs (carbon and soil nutrient regulation, landscape and biodiversity maintenance), roles (local development support in harsh environments, contribution to the circular economy) and benefits to populations (revenue, employment, and cultural assets). These multiple functions can be described through a multifunctional conceptual model specified for LGS. Applied to cases in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, the framework enables the assessment of these systems in a holistic manner that includes four dimensions: production, social, environmental and local development. These dimensions and associated local indicators demonstrate the potential important contribution that LGS may deliver to sustainable food systems. Management of interactions and trade-offs between these functions may be improved using such a model in a multi-stakeholder approach. Some of the functions and balance between them might have been overlooked in the consideration of European food systems. IPAF Región NOA Fil: Ickowicz, Alexandre. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Ickowicz, Alexandre. Selmet, Univertité Montpellier, Cirad, INRAE; Francia Fil: Ickowicz, Alexandre. Cirad, UMR Selmet, Montpellier; Francia Fil: Hubert, Bernard. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Hubert, Bernard. INRAE. Unité d'Ecodéveloppement; Francia Fil: Blanchard, Mélanie. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Blanchard, Mélanie. Selmet, Univertité Montpellier, Cirad, INRAE; Francia Fil: Blanchard, Mélanie. Cirad, UMR Selmet Hanoï; Vietnam Fil: Blanchard, Mélanie. Nias, Hanoï; Vietnam Fil: Blanfort, Vincent. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Blanfort, Vincent. Selmet, Univertité Montpellier, Cirad, INRAE; Francia Fil: Blanfort, Vincent. Cirad, UMR Selmet, Montpellier; Francia Fil: Cesaro, Jean-Daniel. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Cesaro, Jean-Daniel. Selmet, Univertité Montpellier, Cirad, INRAE; Francia Fil: Cesaro, Jean-Daniel. Cirad, UMR Selmet, ISRA, PPZS, Saint-Louis, Senegal Fil: Diaw, Arona. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Diaw, Arona. Laiterie du Berge; Senegal Fil: Lasseur, Jacques. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Lasseur, Jacques. Selmet, Univertité Montpellier, Cirad, INRAE; Francia Fil: Huyen, Le Thi Thanh. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Huyen, Le Thi Thanh. Nias, Hanoï; Vietnam Fil: Li, Li. Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University. Department of Health and Environmental Sciences; China Fil: Mauricio, Rogerio Martins. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Mauricio, Rogerio Martins. Universidade Federal de Sao Joao. Biotechnology Department; Brasil Fil: Cangussu, Mauroni. Universidade Federal de Sao Joao. Biotechnology Department; Brasil Fil: Müller, Jean-Pierre. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Müller, Jean-Pierre. Sens, Univ Montpellier, Cirad, Montpellier; Francia Fil: Müller, Jean-Pierre. Cirad, UMR Sens, Montpellier; Francia Fil: Quiroga Mendiola, Mariana. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Quiroga Mendiola, Mariana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Agricultura Familiar Región NOA; Argentina Fil: Quiroga Roger, Juan Alfonso. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Agricultura Familiar Región NOA; Argentina Fil: Vera, Tomas Anibal. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo Tecnológico para la Agricultura Familiar Región NOA; Argentina Fil: Ulambayar, Tungalag. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Ulambayar, Tungalag. Zoological Society of London. Representative Office Ulaanbaatar; Mongolia Fil: Wedderburn, Liz. FAO. Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock “Restoring value to grassland” network; Italia Fil: Wedderburn, Liz. AgResearch Ltd.; Nueva Zelanda