The agricultural livestock sector is often blamed for all the ills of the planet. However, there is an enormous difference between intensive and extensive livestock farming. Food for Europe visited the Libramont agricultural fair in Belgium to meet farmers who have chosen to farm io a way that respects the environment and animal welfare.

Extensive livestock farming, including agro-forestry, is essential for human development, quality of life and the management rural landscapes. It combines food production with multiple beneficial services, and is crucial for remote areas with few economic alternatives. 

Despite environmental, economic and regulatory challenges, extensive livestock farming offers many often overlooked environmental benefits, such as biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Extensive grazing systems play an important role in fire prevention and ecosystem management.

45. Livestock: a guarantor of biodiversity ?

Have you ever wondered how food in Europe is produced or where it comes from? ‘Food for Europe’ brings you stories, analysis, and in-depth interviews on agriculture, rural development, and the developments that are transforming the way we shop, eat and cultivate our precious, scattered farmland. 

Brought to you by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Agriculture and Rural Development, the podcast will shed light on the most important European policies for food and agriculture and discuss the ambitions to become a greener and more sustainable Europe.
© European Union, 2021

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