Autor(es): Alejandro Parodi, Sara Valencia-Salazar, Ana María Loboguerrero, Deissy Martínez-Barón, Enrique Murgeitio, Ian Vázquez-Rowe
Circular food systems are increasingly acknowledged for their potential to contribute to the transition towards sustainable futures. In a circular food system, the use of finite and limited resources is minimized, and nutrients in residual streams and inedible biomass for humans are reused as inputs in the bioeconomy. Livestock has become relevant in this narrative for upcycling nutrients contained in food by-products and grass resources into nutritious food for humans without using human-edible resources. Evaluating on-going national sustainabil- ity initiatives in the livestock sector is key to determine if circularity elements are already rep- resented and to identify new opportunities and pathways for the future. In this paper we synthetize the environmental actions promoted by different initiatives driving the sustainable transformation of Colombian cattle production systems and assess the inclusion of circular- ity elements in these actions. The proposed environmental actions were concentrated in the conservation of remaining natural ecosystems, zero-deforestation and the sustainable intensification of cattle production through silvopastoral and paddock rotational systems. Circularity was addressed by some initiatives via the use organic fertilizers and the use of manure as fertilizers or feedstock for bioenergy generation. However, given that cattle farm- ing is often practiced in low-input systems where the collection of by-products for reutiliza- tion (e.g., manure) is not always feasible, these actions are expected to have limited impact in the sector. Silvopastoral systems can positively promote circularity by creating the condi- tions for internal nutrient recycling via litterfall, biological nitrogen fixation, phosphorus solu- bilization, and presence of beneficial insects. However, to avoid food-feed competition and to remain circular, these should only be installed in agricultural areas unsuitable for crop pro- duction. In areas where crops can grow, other production systems that prioritize the produc- tion of plant biomass for human consumption (i.e., agrosilvopastoral systems, mixed crop- livestock systems or forms of crop intercropping) should be considered.
Descargar publicación (1.003,62 KB)Autor(es): Ramzy Kahhat Abedrabbo, Ian Vázquez Rowe y David Baptista de Sousa
The marine ingredients (MIs) industry is essential to the aquaculture sector, mainly providing fishmeal and fish oil to support animal feed and human nutrition. The exponential growth of aquaculture and the heavy reliance on finite marine resources pose significant sustainability challenges and highlight the need for more comprehensive and regionally adapted metrics beyond current Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) indicators and non-conventional LCA metrics. In this systematic review, we analyzed 48 literature studies that focus on MIs sustainability using rigorous criteria for data quality and indicator relevance under the Prisma methodology. Our findings indicate that the studies that are mainly based on the LCA approach provide valuable insights into environmental performance, but are hindered by inconsistent metrics, limited data availability, and a lack of integration of economic, nutritional, and ethical dimensions in the sustainability analysis. Such limitations can lead to underestimate critical issues such as biodiversity loss, overfishing, and habitat degradation, while overemphasizing short-term efficiency measures, like feed conversion ratio, or environmental impacts such as global warming. Additionally, emerging novel proteins and alternative uses for fish-derived byproducts, ranging from direct human consumption to high-value applications (bioactive compounds, cosmetic, etc.), to other low-value products (like biofertilizers), remains largely unexplored, given the absence of holistic and flexible assessment tools. Thus, the presence of unregulated contaminants (including additives, antibiotics and microplastics), are not yet adequately addressed in most MIs studies, despite some recent methodological advancements. This review proposes the adoption of novel metrics, the standardization of assessment methods and the integration of multi-criteria decision analysis for LCA practitioners to better capture the complex and multifaceted challenges of MIs production, covering the way for more robust and reliable sustainability assessments within the aquaculture industry.
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