1s4: What is the role of aquaculture in circular food systems?

Abstract

Feeding humanity within the planetary boundaries is one of the grand challenges over the coming decades (Foley et al., 2011). Circular food systems are seen as a promising way to feed the rising population within these planetary boundaries (Ghisellini et al., 2016) One of the principles of a circular food system includes that each resource should be used in the way that is most valuable to the entire system. This implies that arable land should be used for production of human food and not for the production of animal feed. However, animals can play a valuable role in circular food systems due to their ability to convert by-products, unsuitable for human consumption, into high quality animal-source food (Van Zanten et al., 2019). Next to by-product from crops, livestock and fisheries, animals can also upgrade plant-based former foodstuff and grass resources, unsuitable for human consumption.