Potential of redesigned livestock production systems

WP2 focuses on exploring changes in livestock production in Finland under different sustainability scenarios. The foundation of sustainable livestock production lies in operating within defined sustainability boundaries while aiming for system-wide efficiency.

This work package explores the redesign of various livestock production sectors to rely on locally and regionally available feed biomasses, including those that do not compete with food production. We will examine how these changes impact food output, greenhouse gas emissions, nutrient cycles, and biodiversity.

People

Dr. Iryna Herzon
Dr. Kari Koppelmäki
Dr. Jani Salminen
Dr. Marjaana Toivonen
Doctoral researcher Mari Heikkinen
Doctoral researcher Henry Virkkunen
Research assistant Jana Firse


Research aims

The goal of WP2 is to explore the potential of redesigned livestock production systems by:

  • Defining sustainability boundaries within which these systems must operate.
  • Assessing the current systems' performance in terms of food production and environmental impact.
  • Redesigning key livestock production systems to operate within these boundaries across various regions in Finland.
  • Scaling the results to a national level

Why it matters

In recent years, much attention has been given to increasing land-use efficiency and sustainability in food production by reducing the demand for livestock production. However, less focus has been placed on understanding what sustainable livestock production—beyond simply reducing greenhouse gas emissions—would mean for various farming systems. WP2 aims to address this gap by providing a comprehensive assessment of livestock production systems operating within ecological boundaries across different regions in Finland.

Key objectives

  • Investigate the sustainability performance of current livestock production systems
  • Redesign current livestock production systems to operate within sustainability boundaries
  • Asses the impacts of changes at the national food system level

Reasearch methods

We approach sustainability from the point of view of environmental production capacity. We examine current production systems, redesign the systems and demonstrate the impacts of the change on regional farming system and national level.

For farming systems redesign, we use the FarmDesign model, which is a static model that allows for the analysis of livestock production systems and their environmental effects at the farm level. The model enables the generation of alternative farm configurations based on given optimization goals within specified constraints.

To evaluate the environmental and economic sustainability of the current and re-designed food production and consumption systems on national and regional level, we use environmentally extended input-output model ENVIMAT.

Outcomes and impact

WP2’s results will provide valuable insights into the potential of achieving multiple production and environmental goals simultaneously by redesigning livestock production systems. These outcomes will inform a wide range of stakeholders, from farmers to policymakers, in supporting the sustainability transition of agriculture in Finland.