FAO, IFIF underscore feed, food collaboration

The 23rd annual meeting of the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) underscored their collaborative efforts on issues essential to providing safe, nutritious and sustainable feed and food production.

Opening the meeting in Rome on Nov. 22, Thanawat Tiensin, assistant director-general and director of animal production and health division at the FAO, and Ruud Tijssens, chairman of the IFIF, welcomed delegates and reaffirmed the value of their partnership.

“Livestock production is a cornerstone of agrifood systems, providing essential nutrition and economic opportunities worldwide,” Tiensin said. 

The IFIF is made up of national and regional feed associations from Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East, as well feed-related organizations and corporate members from around the globe. IFIF members represent over 80% of total compound animal feed production worldwide.

The meeting addressed FAO’s vision for the sustainable transformation of the livestock sector, which includes reducing feed loss and waste, optimizing feed conversion, and enhancing nutrient use to reduce environmental impacts and antimicrobial resistance.

Topics highlighted during the meeting included:

• The Role of Animal Feed in Sustainable Livestock Sector Transformation: IFIF’s Road to 2050 strategic process for stakeholder dialogue around the world to safeguard food security and offer feed as a recognized solution provider to global sustainable livestock.
• Codex Alimentarius and Feed Safety Standards: The meeting covered regulatory and scientific matters, including advancements in Codex Alimentarius work, particularly focusing on food safety foresight, emerging issues, and international standards to ensure feed safety and quality.
• Reducing the use of Antimicrobials and Advancing Animal Health: FAO’s RENOFARM initiative, aimed at minimizing antimicrobial needs on farms, and innovative feed practices to reduce antimicrobial use (AMU) were discussed, including IFIF’s role in promoting responsible AMU through nutritional innovation.
• Global Feed Standards Convergence: FAO and IFIF reviewed the International Cooperation for the Convergence of Technical Requirements for the Assessment of Feed Ingredients (ICCF) work plan, reflecting the growing global alignment on feed standards.
• Emerging Food Production Technologies: Discussions on cell-based food and precision fermentation highlighted the future of sustainable food production, with a focus on safety standards and potential contributions to food security.
• Development of the Feed Sector in East Africa: Opportunities and challenges in East Africa’s feed sector were explored, focusing on sustainable growth potential in emerging markets.
• Environmental Sustainability Initiatives: FAO and IFIF reviewed updates on the Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership Phase 5, the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock (GASL) Work Plan, and the Global Livestock Environmental Assessment Model (GLEAM), all supporting sustainable livestock practices.

While acknowledging the accomplishments, Tijssens also highlighted the updated FAO-IFIF Manual on Good Practices for the Feed Sector, described as a milestone in capacity development for feed safety.

“Together with the dedicated colleagues at FAO, we are building a science-based approach to support safe and sustainable animal nutrition that delivers affordable, high-quality food to a growing global population,” Tijssens said. “By producing more with less, and better across diverse production systems, we are making strides toward the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The strength and quality of our exchanges with FAO are crucial, and each year our collaboration deepens as we continue to build on these achievements.”

Daniela Battaglia, animal production officer at the FAO, commended the FAO-IFIF collaboration, particularly in feed safety capacity development and the containment of antimicrobial resistance. She reiterated FAO’s commitment to work with the private sector and feed operators, saying that they can make valuable contributions to more responsible and sustainable livestock and food sectors through important public health, and animal health and welfare goals.