The Environmental Sustainability of Food Production - Sustainable Animal Agriculture - page 169

the needs of the growing global population,
while continuing the tradition of environmental
sustainability. The beauty of consumer choice
within the developed world lies in the fact that
there is a market for every production system,
intensive or extensive, large-scale or small-scale,
conventional or alternative, with or without
technology use, providing it continues to adapt
to the economic, environmental and social
issues that together confer sustainability. In
order to fulfil the dietary requirements and
desires of the growing population it is essential

to improve productivity within all systems with-
out demonizing or idolatrizing particular sys-
tems or practices. In regions where food is readily
available, consumers are afforded the luxury of
making dietary choices, yet many developing
regions exist where the simple need for food
negates such concerns. The global livestock
industry must therefore identify system-specific
and region-specific sustainable practices to
ensure that dietary needs are met and environ-
mental sustainability improved without pre-
scription of a one-size-fits-all solution.

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