13th MSP meeting of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL)
30, Oct 2023 – 3, Nov 2023 (All day event)
MSP Meeting venue and dates: Chiang Mai, Thailand, 30 October – 3 November 2023
MSP Meeting Objectives:
a) Identify the (fast moving, slow moving) drivers of change relevant to livestock systems
b) Identify the linkages and feedback between different drivers
c) Link the identified drivers to the four major livestock sustainability domains adopted by GASL:
d) Identify areas of MSP collaboration to be facilitated by GASL to trigger policy change solutions for sustainable livestock worldwide in relation to the four livestock sustainability domains of the 2022-2024 GASL Action Plan
General background
The 13th MSP meeting
of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) will take place at
Chiang Mai, Thailand from 30 October to 3 November. In addition to the
objectives mentioned above, focusing on livestock systems around the
world and specifically on South-East Asia systems, the meeting will
offer also a general overview of GASL, its achievements and will briefly
outline the present 2022 – 2024 Action Plan and its alignment with the
GASL Theory of Change.
Technical background on drivers of change
Agrifood systems are shaped by fundamental factors, including
agro-ecological potential, demand, technology, etc. Some of these
drivers are long term, such as the relationship between income and
animal source food consumption, leading to a gradual transformation,
such as the decade-long shift to monogastrics and intensification of
livestock systems. Other drivers, such as disease events, have short
term consequences, some of them with the potential to disrupt existing
supply and demand patterns.
In this context, livestock systems
need to be viewed in their entirety and complexity stretching from
primary resource use to consumption and waste, cutting across the GASL
sustainability domains. Likewise, system resilience is understood as
the ability to prepare for and adapt to changing conditions and
withstand and recover rapidly from disruption (deliberate attacks,
accidents or naturally occurring threats or incidents).
During the
last few years, the world’s agrifood systems have been affected by
growing instability, caused by geo-political tensions, global health
events, climate change and new technologies. These drivers are
triggering a transformation of livestock systems.
Additionally, it
is useful to distinguish between drivers of change that relate to
political, social, economic and cultural aspects (demographics,
livelihoods, income, inflation, trade, demand,…); drivers related to
natural resource availability and constraints (land, water,
biodiversity, emissions, droughts,...); and One health related drivers
(nutrition, food safety, emerging human and animal diseases,..). It is
also useful to include “technological innovation” as another driver as
it cuts across the different drivers, responding to drivers and
accelerating change. While livestock systems are shaped by different
drivers, they themselves impact these and other spheres.
Geopolitical and socio-economic drivers
Growing geo-political conflicts and war have led to rising inflation
(in particular food and energy prices) raising concerns over price and
financial stability, particularly in low-income countries. Inflation
hits poor people more than wealthy people and is leading to a decline in
livestock source foods consumption among vulnerable segments of the
population. Inflation is also discouraging long term investments as
future value streams are more heavily discounted. Demographic drivers
such as population growth and lifestyle preferences can also contribute
substantially to change and adaption in food systems. Conflicts and war,
together with the lessons from Covid have led countries to re-focus on
food and energy security, and trade restrictions are now being applied
to a growing number of items, including semi-conductors,
telecommunications, rare minerals, access to social media, etc…
One health drivers
Recent global
health events include Covid 19, a coronavirus of animal origin, causing
millions of deaths and disease, severely disrupting societies and
economies for most of 2020 to 2022. While Covid affected livestock
systems less than other parts of the economy, it massively altered food
consumption patterns and caused supply chain disruptions around the
world, such as shortage of qualified personnel. Another recent health
event is the on-going African swine fever (ASF) panzootic, mostly in
Asia and in particular China, with a recent new surge that will affect
10% of pig production after leveling back to pre-panzootic pig numbers
and triggering another import surge with global consequences on
livestock source foods prices. The on-going ASF pandemic is also
triggering a massive restructuring of pork systems in favour of
large-scale production and processing units with high bio-security, and
the associated rapid disappearance of small scale production.
Environmental drivers
Climate
change is another driver of transformation. The aim of the Paris
Agreement to limit global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius is
now out of reach, and the surpassing of the Paris threshold is
predicted for 2030. The well below 2 degrees target is also at risk.
Climate change and extreme weather events will accelerate in the coming
years and decades as most emissions stay in the atmosphere for
decades/centuries. Climate change is affecting grazing systems (heat,
feed production, water stress, emerging diseases (ticks)) but also
intensive, concentrate-based production through higher variability and
costs of production. These environmental changes will increase losses
and damages and will threaten food security, in particular, for the most
vulnerable countries and communities. There is also growing pressure
for livestock systems, in particular ruminants, to reduce their methane
emissions, which will influence consumption patterns and trade too.
Technological innovation drivers
Over time, technology advances have helped livestock systems to become
incrementally more efficient and productive. Recent technological
developments are creating new products that have the potential to
replace or complement traditional livestock products, including
plant-based, precision fermentation and synthetic meat. Whereas the
trend to plant-based is probably long term (involving generational
change), precision fermentation and lab meat could be more disruptive. A
number of countries have started to provide legal frameworks for
related products to enter the market.
Each of the above drivers has the potential to upset current patterns of livestock systems. However, as we have seen during Covid, these drivers interact and often are mutually supportive, creating a large potential of disruption that policy makers, researchers and practitioners need to deal with.
The 13th GASL MSP Meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand
Being a huge and diverse region, spanning all livestock systems,
species and commodities produced, processed and managed in every way
possible, in South-East Asia food insecurity and poverty arise amidst
strong projected growth of the livestock sector with serious potential
food security, socioeconomic, health and environmental implications.
In relation to this spectrum of new opportunities and challenges, and
the likelihood of continued and in many cases unpredictable drivers, it
is incumbent to consider carefully the role of GASL and how its unique
multi-stakeholder partnership can contribute towards practical support
for sustainable livestock by stakeholders across the region.
The
global MSP meeting in Thailand will include sessions on each of these
themes under the umbrella of the GASL livestock sustainability domains,
bringing in a variety of perspectives. It will also provide the
opportunity for related field trips and a sharefair with various types
of exhibits.
Pre-MSP regional consultations
Eight regional MSP
consultation events before the global meeting will serve to provide
regional views on the different drivers and how they act to cause
livestock systems change, highlighting the natural and social
differences of different regions.
The main questions to be addressed by regional consultation reports to the GASL Secretariat will be:
- What drivers of change and in what degree are affecting the region and what they mean for regional livestock production and industry according to the four GASL sustainability domains?
- Where and for what livestock activities is an MSP approach needed to support practice and policy solutions for dealing with the pressures caused by the drivers of change?
The format of the
consultations will be decided in bilateral discussions with the GASL
Secretariat and Chair where the support needed from GASL will be
discussed. The regions of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, Latin
America, and South and South-East Asia are planning hybrid meetings.
Please take into account that a month is needed to process GASL support
for a hybrid meeting.
For each regional consultation the following documents are required:
- A short concept note
- The draft agenda
- Draft invitation letter
- The list of tentative invitees
- Expected travelers with passport details in the case of hybrid mode
- A draft letter of agreement in the case of hybrid mode
GASL Pre-MSP meeting webinars
In order to comprehend the nature and dynamics of the different drivers
of change in the livestock sector, a series of three webinars, hosted
and organized by GASL stakeholders, are planned for early September with
the objective of finding common ground for the discussion in both
regional and global meetings.
Objectives of the webinars:
- Implement a webinar structure, agreed with the GASL Secretariat, through selected keynote speakers, expert panel discussions and facilitation of dialogue to understand what are change drivers and how they are shaping the livestock sector regionally and globally
- Discuss how GASL could use its dialogue skills, evidence gathering and practice change recommendations, to trigger policy change solutions for sustainable livestock worldwide in real and practical ways in relation to the four livestock sustainability domains of the 2022-2024 GASL Action Plan
- Produce a technical webinar report, based on literature reviews, discussions, and seminar presentations to be used by GASL as a guide in the regional and global MSP meeting discussions with clear recommendations to GASL for each of the four livestock sustainability domains
Planned hybrid webinars:
Organizer: TBC
- Socio-economic (inflation, interest rates, trade barriers, demographics, lifestyle) and geo-political (war conflicts) drivers
- Environmental (+1.5 C increase in global warming is not realistic anymore) and technological innovation (plant-based, in-vitro and precision fermentation products, …) drivers
Organizer:
- Health/disease drivers (covid, animal diseases [ASF] and emerging animal diseases, in particular vector borne)
Annex: Suggested Agenda Structure
| Monday 30/10 | Tuesday 31/10 | Wednesday 01/11 | Thursday 02/11 | Friday 03/11 | Saturday 04/11 | |
|
Arrival of participants Optional meetings | 7:00-8:00 | Breakfast in groups or spontaneous | |||||
8:00-9:00 | Open meeting spaces | ||||||
9:00-10:00 | Host country formalities and welcome | Session 2: Drivers impact and solutions in the Livelihoods and Economic Growth domain |
Field trips | Session 3: Drivers impact and solutions in the Animal Health and Animal Welfare domain | Session 4: Drivers impact and solutions in the Climate and Resource |
Departure of participants Optional meetings | |
10:00-10:30 | Coffee | Coffee | Coffee | Coffee | |||
10:30-12:00 | Keynotes and Q/A from audience | Panel 2.2: GASL Action Network reps | Panel 3.2: GASL Action Network reps | Panel 4.2: GASL Action Network reps | |||
12:00-14:00 | Lunch and networking | Lunch and networking | Lunch and networking | Lunch and networking | |||
14:00-15:00 | Session 1: Drivers impact and solutions in the Food and Nutrition Security domain | Plenary 1: Special presentation on a related topic of global importance when dealing with change drivers’ pressures in the livestock sector (tbd) | Plenary 3: Policy solutions to deal with change drivers’ pressures in the livestock sector (policy forum) | Conclusions and meeting closing | |||
15:00-15:30 | Coffee | Coffee | Coffee | Coffee | |||
15:30-16:30 | Panel 1.2: GASL Action Network reps | Plenary 2: (tbd) | Plenary 4: (tbd) | GASL Guiding Group meeting | |||
16:30-19:00 | Open meeting spaces | Sharefair with poster sessions (success stories on solutions to deal with drivers’ pressures) | Sharefair with poster sessions Open meeting spaces | Sharefair with poster sessions Open meeting spaces |
Open meeting spaces | ||
Evening | Welcome dinner by host country | Free | Free | GASL farewell dinner | Free | ||
Preparatory webinars
Webinar 1
Environmental and Technological Innovation Drivers
Programme | Video recording
Webinar 2
Health and Diseases Drivers
Programme | Video recording
Webinar 3
Geopolitical and Socio-Economic Drivers
Programme | Video recording
Regional consultations