Abstract
The nutrition transition towards western diets in developing countries occurs at multiple levels, impacting health and society and also the environment. In Mexico, the shift in food consumption and production patterns, particularly in relation to animal source foods (ASF), has changed land use. We studied the consumption and production of ASF and change in agricultural land use in Mexico during the second half of the twentieth century and until 2013; using domestic and international data sources, our findings show an increasing proportion of farmed area devoted to the production of feed crops domestically, and also an increasing demand of farmed feed beyond national borders. We discuss how the intensification of livestock production is associated to major environmental threats and suggest that opportunities are available for sustainable and healthy food options.
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Acknowledgements
This study is part of the first author’s (José Tello Carrasco) PhD research, supported by a scholarship from CONACYT. We also appreciate the kind help of the workers of INEGI and the library Ing. José Luis de la Loma y de Oteyza (SIAP-SAGARPA). We are in debt with Associate Editor Linley Chiwona-Karltun and an anonymous reviewer for their helpful comments and very constructive criticism.
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Tello, J., Garcillán, P.P. & Ezcurra, E. How dietary transition changed land use in Mexico. Ambio 49, 1676–1684 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01317-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01317-9