By Maina Simon
In a bid to raise awareness about the negative impacts of high meat consumption on people’s health, environment and animal welfare, World Animal Protection, a leading animal welfare organization, has launched the “EatLessMeat” campaign.
Speaking at the launch, Dr, Victor Yamo, the Food Systems Campaign Manager at World Animal Protection singled out intensive animal farming as the biggest contributor to animal suffering, deteriorating human health, and climate damage.
“Over 50 billion farm animals are factory farmed every year, with around two in every three animals raised in intensive systems that prioritize production over welfare and health. This approach to farming places a heavy burden on precious resources, such as grain-based feed, water, energy, and medication, and contributes to a range of issues, including environmental pollution, climate change, biodiversity loss, disease, and food insecurity,” Dr. Yamo said.
“The concentration of animals in close quarters increases the likelihood of disease outbreaks and the need for antibiotic use. The excessive use of water and land for feed crops further exacerbates the strain on our ecosystems. Factory farming is not just bad for animals, it’s dangerous, unfair, and dirty, with significant impacts on human health and the environment.”
He noted that by promoting the “EatLessMeat” campaign, people are being encouraged to make informed choices about their diet and reduce their demand for factory-farmed animal products.
For the campaign to be effective, the World Animal Protection recommends taking steps, such as identifying a meat-free day, swapping regular meat dishes with delicious meat-free alternatives, reducing meat portions on your plate and talking to a nutritionist for advice on meat-free protein alternatives.
