Livelihood implications of dietary shifts to animal-source food alternatives: a scoping review

Although dietary shifts from animal-source foods (ASFs) to alternatives (Alt-ASFs) could considerably affect livelihoods in food supply chains, the effects will likely vary by the type of Alt-ASFs. In this Review we identified 45 studies, including descriptive analysis of the present state of the sector and modelling studies of future trends. Key findings indicate that cell-based foods would likely reduce overall employment opportunities, while favouring high-skilled workers in high-income countries, although job quality might improve. Shifts towards plant-based foods might have small net employment effects, creating opportunities for legume producers but reducing jobs in the livestock sector. Employment in alga-based food production might resemble existing fishery jobs, whereas employment in insect-based food sectors could support diverse workers across various contexts; however, information on this nascent sector is insufficient. Research on this topic is scarce, with numerous gaps, including estimates of job numbers, income comparisons, comparative analyses of job quality, and studies in low-income and middle-income country contexts. Hence, considerable further research is needed to inform policies that can support a just livelihood transition.