Multispecies Nutrient Optimization: A Transdisciplinary Approach to Sustainable Livestock and Aquatic Feed Design

This review explores the emerging field of multispecies nutrient optimization in livestock and aquaculture feed systems through a transdisciplinary lens. Conventional single-species feed models, while efficient in isolated contexts, often fail to address the interconnected sustainability challenges of climate change, biodiversity loss, and nutrient inefficiency. By contrast, multispecies systems leverage biological synergies, circular resource flows, and localized feed inputs to enhance ecological resilience and production efficiency. Drawing on global case studies—from integrated poultry–fish systems in Southeast Asia to AI-driven aquaculture in Norway, insect-based protein supply chains in Africa, and seaweed-algae feed integration in Chile and Indonesia—the review identifies key strategies such as nutrient recycling, feed circularity, and cross-species nutrient targeting. A cross-case synthesis reveals both shared approaches and region-specific challenges, shaped by policy environments, infrastructure, and knowledge systems. The review also addresses the ethical, environmental, and equity dimensions of feed innovation, emphasizing the need for inclusive governance, animal welfare considerations, and global feed justice. Looking forward, scaling these models will require coordinated innovation ecosystems, strategic financing, and policy frameworks that embed feed systems into broader climate and agri-food agendas. Multispecies feed design emerges not only as a technical advancement but as a critical lever for transforming global food systems toward greater sustainability, equity, and resilience.