This summary was prepared by Hamed Kioumarsi, EBM at Springer Nature, in collaboration with Reza Naseri Harsini and Ali Maddahian of the Animal Science Research Department at the Gilan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Rasht, Iran. The purpose of this summary is to offer a clear and comprehensive overview of Animal Science in relation to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Citation: Kioumarsi, H., Naseri Harsini , R., & Maddahian, A. (2025). Animal Science and the SDGs. . Springer Nature Communities. https://go.nature.com/4pSkSc9

Abstract

Animal science is a crucial component of global food security and contributes to a number of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, including those related to health, poverty reduction, and climate change mitigation and adaptation. Traditionally, the field has focused on enhancing efficiency and productivity within livestock and animal production systems. Historically and primarily, animal science is all about efficiency and productivity. Today, however, animal science is adopting a system-level approach that recognizes interconnectivities between animal systems and people and their environment. This paper examines the role of animal science in achieving many of the sustainable development goals, and many of these efforts interconnect. This is particularly true when considering animal agriculture from the perspective of socio-environmental roles for achieving sustainable development goals like climate change and sustainable population growth.

Introduction

The SDGs involve a wide manner of industries, ranging from healthcare to agricultural sciences and livestock. This has resulted in an ever-increasing need for meat due to population growth. Nonetheless, issues concerning their effect on the environment keep arising. The SDGs provide a platform for these challenges. Animal sciences are also involved in nutrition sciences, genetics, physiology, health, welfare, and production. Animal sciences provide a wide range of support to SDG.

The mindset of systems thinking goes beyond an individual goal of optimization, such as crop production, and further explores biological, environmental, economic, and societal impacts. For instance, an understanding of such systems of animals explains why reactions in an animal system may provide positive or negative synergy regarding various combinations of several of the sustainable development goals. The story explores possible ways through which animal science may relate to important sets of sustainable development goals.

Animal Science and Food Security

Animal science can play a direct role in improving food security. Increased productivity and efficiency are potential direct benefits to food security. Indirect benefits include the production of protein estimated through the production of non-crop biomass in regions considered to be non-agricultural. However, in terms of the larger production context, increased biodiversity on the farm can be considered a direct benefit. Animal science also features the use of animal manure as a source of food nutrients. Additionally, farm income can be increased. Balanced production should take into consideration the need to balance the aforementioned aspects towards achieving SDG2.

Reduction of Poverty and Livelihoods

Livestock are an important source of livelihood for more than a billion people, esp. in developing countries. Innovations that help improve the health, breeding, and productiveness of animals have the ability to increase incomes and limit losses. Livelihoods resilience against diseases means enhanced animal welfare and improved incomes for smallholder families. The systems approach positions livestock in wider socio-economic contexts such that value chains, markets, and gender equity are central to harnessing livestock for sustainable growth, decent work, and protection of vulnerable groups.

Health, Nutrition, and One Health

Animal proteins provide a high-quality nutrient source for both mothers and children. Animal science can improve the quality of these proteins through better feeding, production, and harvesting techniques. Animal science is related to human health through issues like animal-borne diseases, meaning zoonoses, and antimicrobial resistance. One Health—combining approaches for animal, human, and environmental health—is the embodiment of a systems approach to animal science. Biosecurity/animal science efforts link with Goal 3, as they improve health outcomes worldwide.

Climate Action and Environment Sustainability

Livestock is a greenhouse gas emission source that can be mitigated by animal science methods such as efficient feeding and methods with reduced impacts. It also requires the use of manure and new methods for raising animals. This is due to the complexity of the activity and the different methods that can be applied depending on the system that is being utilized. It can either be intensification or extensification and the impact that these methods have on the issue at hand.

Care and Ethics for Animals & Social Sustainability

There has been growing recognition that animal welfare is a foundational element of sustainable food systems. There has been progress in behavior science, stress physiology, and design to improve welfare outcomes. There is a system approach to welfare that connects it with productivity, food quality, consumer trust, and ethical validity. There is increasing consumer awareness to address ethics, culture, and politics to make innovations acceptable to society.

Future

Although there are several objectives that could be achieved through animal science, there could also be conflicts. The improvement of productivity could damage welfare and sustainability if done independently. There is a need to address this issue through a systems approach in order to maximize benefits. The future of advancements in this field could be ensured through an interdisciplinary approach and the use of technology for developing a climate-resilient livestock system. Education in systems thinking is expected to shape future generations of animal scientists.

Conclusion

Animal science has significant relevance to several of the SDGs; however, its full potential has been and continues to be harnessed with its approach focused on complexity. By integrating bio-innovation with environmental management and social and ethical perspectives, animal science has immense opportunities to revamp livestock sectors and use them as engines of sustainable development. Animals should not only be producers in livestock production systems. Animals should also be conceptualized as integral parts of human-environment systems working as producers and supporters of food security.

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