Livestock

Crop

Business

Animal food

Agronomy

Biology

Agriculture

Macroeconomics

Economics

Ecology

Production (economics)

Food products

Food supply

Fishery

Fish <Actinopterygii>

Food science

Agricultural science

Environmental science

Food security

Food systems

Aquaculture

Food processing

Nature Food

Many livestock and aquaculture feeds compete for resources with food production. Increasing the use of food system by-products and residues as feed could reduce this competition. We gathered data on global food system material flows for crop, livestock and aquaculture production, focusing on feed use and the availability of by-products and residues. We then analysed the potential of replacing food-competing feedstuff—here cereals, whole fish, vegetable oils and pulses that account for 15% of total feed use—with food system by-products and residues. Considering the nutritional requirements of food-producing animals, including farmed aquatic species, this replacement could increase the current global food supply by up to 13% (10–16%) in terms of kcal and 15% (12–19%) in terms of protein content. Increasing the use of food system by-products as feed has considerable potential, particularly when combined with other measures, in the much-needed transition towards circular food systems.

Food system by-products upcycled in livestock and aquaculture feeds can increase global food supply