Challenges of Ensuring Sustainable Poultry Meat Production and Economic Resilience under Climate Change for Achieving Sustainable Food Security
Ahmed O. Abbas, Farid Saber Nassar, Asghar Ali
Abstract
Poultry meat production breeds are distinguished by their rapid growth, prolific output, and excellent nutritional efficiency when raised in optimal environmental conditions to realize their genetic potential. Climate change, characterized by elevated environmental temperatures, undermines optimal conditions for meat production, leading to diminished growth performance, reduced feed efficiency, and increased mortality rates, thereby resulting in substantial economic losses and critical threats to global food security. This project aims to investigate the obstacles to sustainable chicken meat production and improve economic resilience in the face of climate change, focusing on the formulation of strategies that promote sustainable food security. The global production of poultry meat rose by 1.63 million metric tons in 2023/2024 relative to 2022/2023 and is projected to grow by about 2% in 2025, attaining a new high of 104.9 million tons. Heat stress results in an annual economic loss of $2.36 billion in the U.S. chicken industry due to diminished production performance, elevated mortality rates, increased feed costs, and heightened disease resistance. Consequently, initiatives to mitigate the detrimental impacts of climate change on poultry production may include the adoption of heat-resistant breeds and the application of sustainable agricultural practices, in addition to formulating comprehensive legislation to address these issues In light of current climate change projections and rising temperatures, the research recommends the adoption of comprehensive measures to improve sustainable poultry production and ensure food security at both local and global levels.