The strong collaboration between FAO and the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) demonstrates how the public and private sector can successfully address critical issues of the feed and food chain.
During their 16th annual meeting in Rome on 5th and 6th of October 2017, FAO officers and members of the International Feed Industry Federation (IFIF) agreed on strengthening their collaboration on issues of common interest such as the containment of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), ensuring the sustainable use of resources and developing capacities for feed safety.
The animal feed and livestock sectors play an important role in addressing global issues in food and agriculture. Feed producers can valuably contribute to make the sector more responsible and manufacture safe and sustainable products that secure human, animal and environmental health. Animal feed is the largest and most important component to the production of animal proteins. World compound feed production has been estimated over 1 billion tonnes annually. Following IFIF’s data, global commercial feed manufacturing generates an estimated annual turnover of over US $400 billion.
IFIF is made up of national and regional feed associations from Africa, Asia and Pacific, Europe, North and South America and the Middle East, as well feed related organizations and corporate members from around the globe. Overall, IFIF members represent over 80 percent of total compound animal feed production worldwide.
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and IFIF have a strong collaborative partnership dating back over 15 years.
Joel Newman, IFIF Chairman stressed that “FAO strong efforts reaching out to the private sector have made a tangible and positive difference in our already longstanding collaboration.” He added “together with the dedicated colleagues at the FAO we have achieved very important milestones, but our relationship continues to strengthen year to year. The meeting once again underlines our valuable partnership and commitment to FAO-led activities such as the Feed Safety Multi-Stakeholder Partnership, the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock and the Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance Partnership (LEAP). Today we are building on our past achievements: we are actively involved in the Codex Alimentarius to address feed and food safety and together with FAO we started the preparations for the next Global Feed & Food Congress (GFFC) in 2019.”
FAO continues being committed to work with the private sector and the feed operators and believes that they can valuably contribute to make the livestock and food sectors more responsible and sustainable and to achieve important goals such as public health, and animal health and welfare. Daniel Bercovici, IFIF Chairman-elect for 2018/19 further stated that “more needs to be done to develop capacities to produce and supply safer feed and to make sure the jointly produced FAO/IFIF Manual of Good Practices for the Feed Industry can effectively support feed operators all over the world.”
Daniela Battaglia, FAO Animal Production Officer acknowledged “the work of IFIF to foster the implementation of regulatory requirements and technical standards is impressive and what we have witnessed is a wonderful example of public private cooperation.” Much has been achieved through the dialogue between feed producers and governmental officers opened by the International Feed Regulators Meetings that take place every year. From now on it is also possible to continue discussions, consultations and knowledge sharing through the web-based platform provided by the Feed Network.
Source: FAO
