Demand for livestock products has grown rapidly in recent decades in response to increases in human populations, particularly urban dwellers, and in their incomes. This ' livestock revolution’ has generated steadily increasing levels of livestock production, making this subsector one of the fastest-growing in agriculture. Furthermore there is increasing recognition that livestock provide a vital contribution to livelihoods, income and nutrition of the rural poor.
However, most of the developments in livestock production and marketing have resulted from private investment, frequently in high-density large-scale commercial systems. With little or no public sector regulation these developments may force competing small producers out of the market. In addition the increase of animal population densities associated with growing livestock production has been linked with environmental problems of land degradation, soil, water and air pollution, and reduction in biodiversity, together with increased risk to human health resulting from animal diseases.
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