The COVID-19 pandemic prompted calls for cessation of wild meat trade and consumption to protect public health and biodiversity. High-quality data on wild meat consumption at a global scale is limited, but in many regions wild meat forms an important component of human nutrition — complete cessation of wild meat consumption could create unforeseen shocks to wider food systems through reduced protein intake and land use change for livestock production. Therefore, Hollie Booth, from the University of Oxford, and colleagues identified wild meat-consuming regions across 83 countries and estimated the potential magnitude of halting wild meat consumption on food systems.
Using available global datasets on nutrient supply and land demand, Booth and colleagues identified 15 countries where wild meat accounted for more than 5% of total animal protein — and all ranked in the bottom 50% of the global food security index. Of these 15 countries, Madagascar, Republic of Congo, Guinea, Rwanda, Central African Republic, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Côte d’Ivoire would fall below WHO protein intake recommendations — the latter two countries derive 61% and 73% (respectively) of animal protein from wild meat. Estimates indicated that globally 123,980 km2 of additional agricultural land, predominantly in South and Central America, and sub-Saharan Africa, would be needed to replace wild meat protein with livestock-derived protein — placing up to 267 species at risk of extinction. Madagascar, rural Gabon, the East Region of Cameroon, Malawi, and the Brazilian Amazon would likely struggle with food system adaptation due to a lack of viable protein alternatives, food security trade-offs and social factors such as limited ban enforcement capacities and illicit trading.
Booth and colleagues note that the ability of countries’ food systems to absorb these shocks are unequally distributed, with protein shortfalls in some of the world’s most food-insecure countries and potential loss of livelihoods, rights and social values. Forest regions with high mammalian biodiversity may also suffer under increased risk of emerging infectious diseases — with epidemic or pandemic potential. Thus, the authors call for risk-based regulation preventing the use and trade of slowly reproducing, endangered species, or those with high zoonotic potential while permitting use and trade of more sustainable species. Despite the limited data available, Booth and colleagues demonstrate that political and social debates around wild meat urgently require further research — and holistic policy responses guided by food systems thinking.
Source: Ecology - nature.com
