BACKGROUND :

The surging global demand for animal source foods and rapid growth rates in livestock and aquaculture production are being met with a range of approaches including both aggressive consolidations of production and marketing chains into intensive, large-scale commercial operations, as well as expansion of extensive, small- and medium-scale production systems. Most current approaches contain inherent vulnerabilities. How can the present food systems be reconfigured to feed the growing human population without leading to unintended health consequences for people, animals and the ecosystem? All the stakeholders in these food systems from production, marketing and consumption need to be actively involved in developing coherent and comprehensive approaches where almost everyone can benefit—i.e. collaborative win-win solutions.