Analysis of the impact of the meat supply chain on the Brazilian agri-food system

Abstract

The supply chains of animal-sourced foods, particularly beef, pose risks to human and planetary health, threatening food sovereignty. These chains have been related to deforestation and the breaching of agricultural barriers, eradicating native forests and taking away space used to grow foods traditionally consumed by the Brazilian population, such as rice and beans. The present study aimed to quantify the land use (m2) and the food demand (kg) for beef cattle; and assess the variety of plant species mobilized to produce 1 kg of beef in the national livestock panorama. Food demands were calculated based on the nutritional requirements at each stage of the animal’s life cycles and for each of the main rearing systems practiced in the country. These estimates were then compared with the total area required to produce plant species mobilized in the supply chain. Our results demonstrate that the production of 1 kg of boneless meat from one ‘Animal Brazil’ mobilizes 33.63 m² over 50 months and demands 52 kg of food from just six plant species. Therefore, this study shed light on the inefficiency of the beef supply chain together with the onerous use of soil, which triggers low biodiversity.