Vegan diets and farming - how can we create a sustainable agricultural future?

We’ve been pondering over writing an article about World Vegan Month for… well, for a month!

The topic of whether we need to switch to plant based diets can be very polarising and contentious, particularly for those whose livelihoods depend on livestock farming.

The message from many scientists and public figures - and one that the media has amplified - is that globally we all need to be consuming less meat and dairy, in order to have any hope of achieving climate targets.

In particular, ruminant animals (cattle and sheep) have been highlighted as one of the biggest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) within the global food system, crudely put, because they burp and fart methane.

While this can’t be disputed, the situation is a lot more nuanced than it is often laid out.?

The argument for everyone to cut meat and dairy from their diet doesn’t take into account the fact that, managed in a holistic, regenerative way, grazing livestock such as cattle can, in fact, be part of the solution.

So, what are the main problems that need to be addressed?

Climate change and global warming

The science is now unequivocal that human activity is driving climate change, predominantly through GHG emissions. If we are to avoid a catastrophic future, we must keep the global temperature rise to 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels. Every fraction of a degree warmer will likely result in worse outcomes, such as more frequent extreme weather events, soil erosion and desertification, devastating wildfires, and rising sea levels.

The global food system accounts for over a third (34%) of GHG emissions. The largest contribution to this is from agriculture and land use/land-use change activities (71%). Source: Crippa et al. 2021

Unabated, the livestock sector could take between 37% and 49% of the GHG budget allowable under the 2°C and 1.5°C targets, respectively, by 2030. Source: Harwatt. 2021

Inaction on food emissions will make it impossible to meet our climate goals. However, it represents a huge opportunity to reduce emissions and be part of the solution.

Biodiversity and habitat loss

Biodiversity loss is accelerating around the world. The global rate of species extinction today is orders of magnitude higher than the average rate over the past 10 million years.?

The global food system is the primary driver of this trend. Over the past 50 years, the conversion of natural ecosystems for crop production or pasture has been the principal cause of habitat loss, in turn reducing biodiversity. Source: Benton et al. 2021

What are the solutions?

Firstly, it’s important to say that there is no one magic ‘silver bullet’ solution to any of these issues.?

These issues are connected in a complex web, just as any system in nature. We cannot approach these issues in silos.?

Ultimately, yes we do need to reduce the amount of meat and dairy we consume - and if you choose to cut it out of your diet completely then go for it!?

But there is an argument that says including a modest amount of meat from sustainably-farmed British cattle and sheep in our diets can result in better outcomes for nature and the climate.

The key is not so much what we farm, but how we do it and where.?

Just as with tree planting initiatives, we must make sure we plant the right tree in the right place, we should be farming the right crop or raising the right animal for the land we’re using. Grazing animals such as cattle, for instance, in UK grasslands, can actually sequester carbon in the soil.?

Intensive farming of arable crops can damage the environment in a number of ways. The use of nitrogen based fertilisers and pesticides can result in pollution and eutrophication of waterways. Over ploughing fields can accelerate soil erosion and over time can lead to desertification.?

Instead, taking an agro-ecological approach can not only reduce negative impacts on nature and the climate, it can actually have a positive impact - not only for the planet but for people too. The farmer can directly benefit from increased yields and resilience, through diversifying. Others can also benefit - from the health benefits of consuming more nutrient-dense produce, to the wellbeing benefits of experiencing a more abundant natural landscape.

What’s needed is a broad range of solutions, working alongside each other. We need policy change, and regulation at the governmental level. We need financial mechanisms to allow land owners, farmers and the like to manage and farm land in a more sustainable way that works alongside nature, without jeopardising their livelihoods. We need clearer information for consumers, to allow them to make better-informed choices.?

We need all these, and so much more besides.?

How can we achieve these?

We cannot give you all the answers here (though we wish we could).?

What we can say, with resounding enthusiasm, is that we need collaboration and compassion.

No man (or woman) is an island. We will not solve any of these issues by continuing to take an individualistic approach.?

The natural world we rely on does not recognise boundaries. Within any landscape, there may be multiple actors at play, from farms to villages - and everything in between. If these players can work together to become stewards of the land, for the benefit of all, we stand a far better chance of creating a future where everyone can thrive.?

We need to remember that we’re all human, and we’re not always going to agree. A vegan may not agree with rearing and consuming livestock, and a farmer may not agree with a vegan’s view (for instance). However, vilifying the other for having a different world view is not going to change anything for the better.?

But listening to each other, considering things from the others’ perspective and appreciating that we all have a role to play in fighting climate change and biodiversity loss - these are what’s needed to make change happen.

It means compromising, for sure. But we humans are capable of incredible things when we come together.?

So, let’s focus on what we all have in common, rather than what divides us.