Research on World Agricultural Economy

Challenges of Ensuring Sustainable Poultry Meat Production and Economic Resilience under Climate Change for Achieving Sustainable Food Security

Ahmed Osman Abbas

Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 420, Al‑Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia

Farid Saber Nassar

Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 420, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia; Development and Quality Assurance, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 420, Al-Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia

Abdulrahman Mubarak Al Ali

Department of Geography, Faculty of Arts, King Faisal University, P.O. Box 420, Al‑Ahsa 31982, Saudi Arabia

DOI: https://doi.org/10.36956/rwae.v6i1.1441

Received: 1 November 2024; Published: 7 January 2025

Abstract

Poultry meat production breeds are distinguished by their rapid growth, prolific output, and excellent nutritional efficiency when raised in optimal environmental conditions to realize their genetic potential. Climate change, characterized by elevated environmental temperatures, undermines optimal conditions for meat production, leading to diminished growth performance, reduced feed efficiency, and increased mortality rates, thereby resulting in substantial economic losses and critical threats to global food security. This project aims to investigate the obstacles to sustainable chicken meat production and improve economic resilience in the face of climate change, focusing on the formulation of strategies that promote sustainable food security. The global production of poultry meat rose by 1.63 million metric tons in 2023/2024 relative to 2022/2023 and is projected to grow by about 2% in 2025, attaining a new high of 104.9 million tons. Heat stress results in an annual economic loss of $2.36 billion in the U.S. chicken industry due to diminished production performance, elevated mortality rates, increased feed costs, and heightened disease resistance. Consequently, initiatives to mitigate the detrimental impacts of climate change on poultry production may include the adoption of heat-resistant breeds and the application of sustainable agricultural practices, in addition to formulating comprehensive legislation to address these issues In light of current climate change projections and rising temperatures, the research recommends the adoption of comprehensive measures to improve sustainable poultry production and ensure food security at both local and global levels.

Keywords: Chicken Meat; Poultry Production; Climate Change; Food Security; Economic Sustainability

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