Balancing international trade and local production for food and nutrition security: Animal-sourced foods' contribution to human welfare

Of the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) developed by the United Nations General assembly in 2015, the second of these, to “End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture” is dependent on the development of sustainable farming systems balancing the production of foods derived from animals and plants and then facilitating their distribution to ensure an adequate food supply is available to communities worldwide. This emanates from the UN’s doctrine of “The Right to Food” which explicitly provides directives for state policies worldwide to recognize the right of all citizens to food that meets international standards of nutrition (FAO, 2021c).