Salmon G R, MacLeod M, Claxton J R, Pica Ciamarra U, Robinson T, Duncan A, Peters A R
Supporting Evidence-Based Interventions (SEBI), The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, The University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Midlothian, EH25 9RG, UK.
Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH93JG, UK.
Glob Food Sec. 2020 Jun;25:100329. doi: 10.1016/j.gfs.2019.100329.
The role of livestock in supporting human well-being is contentious, with different perceptions leading to polarised opinions. There is increasing concern about the health and environmental impacts of a high rate of consumption of livestock products in high-income countries. These concerns are heightened by an increase in consumption in middle-income countries. On the other hand, livestock support the livelihoods of many people, particularly in low income countries. The benefits of livestock for poor livestock keepers are multiple, including the important role livestock play in supporting crop production in mixed systems, in supplying nutrients and income, and in fulfilling cultural roles. In addition livestock can provide resilience against economic and climate shocks. In view of these apparent positive and negative impacts, the role of livestock in human wellbeing is highly contested, with arguments 'for' or 'against' sometimes distorted by vested interests or misinterpretation of evidence. The Livestock Fact Check project, undertaken by the Livestock Data for Decisions community of practice, has investigated several ideas concerning livestock commonly taken as 'fact'. By exploring the provenance of these 'facts' we highlight their importance and the risks of both misinterpreting them or using them out of context. Despite the diversity of the livestock sector resulting in equally diverse viewpoints, the project calls for participants in the livestock discourse to adopt a nuanced appreciation of global livestock systems. Judgement of livestock's role in global sustainable diets should be based on clear and well-interpreted information.
牲畜在支持人类福祉方面的作用存在争议，不同的认知导致了两极分化的观点。人们越来越关注高收入国家高牲畜产品消费率对健康和环境的影响。中等收入国家消费的增加加剧了这些担忧。另一方面，牲畜支持着许多人的生计，特别是在低收入国家。牲畜对贫困养殖户的益处是多方面的，包括牲畜在混合系统中对作物生产的支持、提供养分和收入以及发挥文化作用等重要作用。此外，牲畜可以增强抵御经济和气候冲击的能力。鉴于这些明显的积极和消极影响，牲畜在人类福祉中的作用备受争议，支持或反对的论点有时会因既得利益或对证据的错误解读而被扭曲。由“数据驱动决策中的牲畜”实践社区开展的“牲畜事实核查”项目，对一些通常被视为“事实”的有关牲畜的观点进行了调查。通过探究这些“事实”的来源，我们强调了它们的重要性以及错误解读或脱离上下文使用它们的风险。尽管牲畜部门的多样性导致了同样多样的观点，但该项目呼吁参与牲畜议题讨论的各方对全球牲畜系统有一个细致入微的认识。对牲畜在全球可持续饮食中的作用的判断应基于清晰且经过合理解读的信息。
