

Rethinking livestock systems: Embracing multifunctionality for a sustainable future
'Multifunctionality is an invitation to think about the future of livestock in all aspects', said Benoît Dedieu, director of research at the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment.
This quote summarizes the core of the mission of the conference titled Multifunctionality of livestock grazing systems: A lever to envision its possible futures held on 19 April 2024 during the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock in Montpellier, France.
As part of this effort, senior scientist and lead of the CGIAR Initiative on Livestock and Climate, Fiona Flintan, joined the afternoon roundtable discussion on multifunctionality.
Also joining Flintan and Dedieu was Philippe Thomas from the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships, Gregorio Velasco Gil, coordinator of the Pastoralist Knowledge Hub at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Alexandre Bouchot from the French Development Agency.
As the world looks ahead to the International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists in 2026, the insights gained from this conference will be invaluable.
They provide a framework for shaping a more sustainable, inclusive and resilient future for livestock farming, one that embraces the full spectrum of its multifunctional potential.
Banner photo: Fallata (Fulbe) pastoralist cattle on the move in southern Gadarif, Sudan (ILRI/H.Sulieman)
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