Feed industry plays crucial role in supporting sustainable livestock sector

Tijssens was speaking during the 22nd annual meeting of that organisation and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO in Rome. At the occasion, IFIF and FAO announced a further strengthening of their collaboration on critical issues to ensure safe, nutritious and sustainable feed and food and to tackle the challenges facing the feed and food chain.

Collaboration is vital

Thanawat Tiensin, Director Animal Production and Health at FAO, reaffirmed the importance of collaboration between the public and private sector, as well as other stakeholders, ´to support the evidence-based key role of the feed and livestock sector in sustainable livestock transformation´. “Livestock production is a vital part of our agrifood systems, providing essential nutrients for all and enhanced livelihoods and economic opportunities for billions of people around the world,” he said.

Producing more with less

For FAO, improving efficiency is essential to producing more with less, Tiensin said. “Animal feed is a vital part of this, as efficiency can be pursued by optimising feed conversion, reducing feed loss and waste and enhancing nutrient utilisation, all of which can reduce pressure on biodiversity and land and water resources, as well as decrease greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate environmental degradation. Sustainable, resilient, inclusive, and efficient sustainable livestock transformation can only be achieved by working together with all stakeholders.”

Strong partnership: IFIF & FAO

IFIF-chair Tijssens congratulated the FAO for their achievements over the last year, including organising the first-ever conference on Sustainable Livestock Transformation and the first high-level Global Forum for Animal Feed and Feed regulators. “Our joint meeting with the FAO once again underlines our strong partnership, as IFIF continues to support key FAO initiatives such as the Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership, the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock and the Multi-stakeholder Partnership for Feed safety.” Tijssens also stressed that ´together with the dedicated colleagues at the FAO we contribute to build a solid science-based approach to support safe and sustainable animal nutrition to bring quality and affordable food to a growing world population, producing more with less and even better under diverse production systems.’

IFIF’s 36th General Assembly unanimously re-elected Ruud Tijssens as IFIF Chairman for the 2024-2025 term of office, recognising his successful leadership since 2021 under which IFIF experienced important growth in strategic projects and continued to build deeper relationships with stakeholders around the globe. In daily life, Tijssens is Group Director Public & Cooperative Affairs at Royal Agrifirm Group in the Netherlands. Furthermore, Bruno Kaesler was re-appointed to a second term as IFIF Treasurer.