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Abstract
People in developed countries consume about 3 to 4 times as much meat
and fish, and 5 to 6 times as much milk products per capita as in developing
Asia and Africa. Yet, meat, milk, and fish consumption per capita has barely
grown in the developed countries as a whole over the past 20 years. Growth in
per capita consumption and production has occurred in developing regions such
as developing Asia, where income has increased from a low level and
urbanization is rapid. By 2020, according to projections by IFPRI's IMPACT
model, the share of the developing countries in total world meat consumption will
rise from 47 percent currently to 64 percent. The net impact on food access for
the poor of the world will depend on their role as producers of meat, milk, and
fish, their role as consumers, and their need for protein. The amount of cereals
per capita consumed directly by rural people will decline as they diversify their
diets into animal proteins, but feed use will increase greatly. Available evidence
suggests that on balance poor consumers in developing countries will probably
be better off.