On 9 April 2025, during the CGIAR Science Week in Nairobi, the Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Foods (SAAF) Science Program dialogue session highlighted how science-backed solutions can transform livestock and aquatic food systems to be inclusive, low-emission and nutrition-rich. The session underscored the need to reimagine food systems by focusing on smallholders, women and youth, and by addressing the interconnected challenges of climate change, rising demand and widening inequality.
While opening the session, Sandra Milach, CGIAR chief scientist, emphasized the vital role of animal and aquatic foods in nutrition and livelihoods, especially for vulnerable populations. She highlighted that smallholders supply over 70% of livestock foods in Africa and 66% of aquatic foods in Asia, yet face mounting challenges from climate change, rising demand and productivity gaps.
‘Smallholders must be at the heart of the solution,’ she urged.
Rodrigue Yossa, interim Director of the SAAF Science Program, laid out the program’s ambition to build nutrient-dense, climate-smart and inclusive systems. With demand for animal-source foods projected to rise by 30% and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) expected to account for 66% of livestock emissions by 2050, urgent innovations are needed.