The role of pasture-based ruminants in circular food systems – The case of Ireland

Summary

Livestock production must reduce its environmental impact to ensure that global food demand is sustainably met. One driver of inefficient livestock production is feed-food competition. Feed-food competition occurs when land is used to grow feed for livestock rather than food for direct human consumption. As a consequence, the quantity of food produced may decrease, even as the GHG emissions associated with food production increase.

My research focuses on what interventions can decrease the environmental impact of the pasture-dominated food system of Ireland. Initially, by developing metrics to evaluate the level of feed-food competition in pasture-based livestock production. Subsequently, I investigated recommended interventions to reduce feed-food competition and their effects on the Irish food system using linear algebraic modelling. Finally, I outlined which interventions are most effective at reducing the GHG emissions associated with Ireland’s pasture-dominated food system.