At the end of 2023, there were 133 million pigs, 4 million bovine animals, 58 million sheep, and 11 million goats in the EU (Eurostat, 2023). In the poultry sector, 13.3 million tonnes of poultry meat was produced in 2023, mainly chickens (broilers), which represented 84.2% of the total. The diversity of livestock production areas across Europe is still very high as shown in Fig. 1 and consequently the negative impacts of animal farming and the services they provide to other agricultural sectors and to the society clearly differ, requesting innovative and locally adapted solutions specifically tailored for heterogeneous conditions.

But across the many heterogeneous production systems, all farmers are facing similar dramatic economic, climatic, and environmental challenges problems - such as price volatility, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss - and despite the consistent economic support provided by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), from 2005 to 2020 the number of total farms has dropped by 37%. This decline was particularly pronounced among livestock farms (Eurostat, 2023). New policies need to provide systemic responses for a just transition of the agricultural sector linking livestock production systems with citizens’ requests for a food system that provides healthy, diversified, and nutritious food and that is linked to individual territories and cultures of Europe. It is urgent to implement more coordinated territorial and European measures that respond to these combined requests while also addressing fair relations and bonds with international markets and communities. 

Agroecology has developed much scientific evidence and is grounded in the diversity of European cultures and the 13 principles of Agroecology (HLPE, 2019). Many agroecological farmers are already adopting different levels of extensification, identifying new grazing opportunities and designing feeding systems based on local resources that enhance the ecosystem services provided by pasture-based livestock systems. Introducing different mix of animals, diversifying through double purpose beef/milk production and mixed beef/crop production modifies labour intensity, but reduces the use of external inputs and associated pollutions, while developing territorial and innovative market opportunities. 

Agroecology is therefore mature to pave the way for scaling up a fair transition of the livestock sector and can open a window of opportunity for the future of sustainable animal farming by conciliating economy, efficiency, and production priorities, while shaping landscape, improving climate resilience, and social and family priorities. But it still needs to be better integrated in the policies and support mechanisms of the EU.