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Food Waste to Livestock Feed: Prospects and Challenges for Swine Farming in Peri-urban Sri Lanka

Author

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  • Nilanthi Jayathilake

    (International Water Management Institute (IWMI))

  • Mohamed Aheeyar

    (International Water Management Institute (IWMI))

  • Pay Drechsel

    (International Water Management Institute (IWMI))

Abstract

Using farm animals for their natural capability of “recycling” food waste (FW) that is unfit for direct human consumption can support a circular economy as shown in the case of Sri Lanka’s Western Province. The reuse of organic residues including FW as animal feed is a traditional agricultural practice in Sri Lanka but is less studied within an urban FW context. A survey of piggeries using FW in and around the rapidly urbanizing city of Colombo showed that FW is a major feed source in the farms accounting for on average 82% of total feed. About 40% of the farms collected the FW mainly from hotels, restaurants, and institutional canteens. Urban FW is supplied to farmers free of charge when collected directly from the sources, although 26% of the farmers collected FW via intermediaries against a fee. As FW is collected daily, the restaurants appreciate the reliable service, the farmers the low-cost feed, and the municipality the reduced FW volumes to be collected. However, this triple-win situation encounters challenges such as (tourist related) seasonal low supply, which was exacerbated under the Covid-19 lockdown of food services. Another area of concern refers to biosafety. Although the large majority of interviewed farmers boil FW which contains raw meat or fish, there is a paucity of related guidelines and control. Given the benefits of FW use, it is worthwhile to explore how far these informal partnerships could be scaled without increasing transport costs for farmers, while introducing biosafety monitoring. For now, the regulatory environment is highly siloed and does not support material transitions across sector boundaries towards a circular economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Nilanthi Jayathilake & Mohamed Aheeyar & Pay Drechsel, 2022. "Food Waste to Livestock Feed: Prospects and Challenges for Swine Farming in Peri-urban Sri Lanka," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 2(4), pages 1301-1315, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:2:y:2022:i:4:d:10.1007_s43615-022-00168-8
    DOI: 10.1007/s43615-022-00168-8
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Steven Liaros, 2021. "Circular Food Futures: What Will They Look Like?," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 1(4), pages 1193-1206, December.
    2. Peter Horton, 2017. "We need radical change in how we produce and consume food," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(6), pages 1323-1327, December.
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    Cited by:

    1. Prain, G. & Simon, D. & Halliday, J. & Drechsel, Pay, 2022. "Investment priorities for research and innovation in urban agri-food systems: toward more resilient cities in the Global South," Papers published in Journals (Open Access), International Water Management Institute, pages 1-6:965011..
    2. Setyardi Pratika Mulya & Delik Hudalah & Wilmar Salim & Niken Prilandita, 2025. "Review of the Circular Economy Implementation in the Agriculture Sector: A Regional Development Approach," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 1509-1533, April.
    3. Nimeshika Aloysius & Jayanath Ananda, 2023. "A Circular Economy Approach to Food Security and Poverty: a Case Study in Food Rescue in Sri Lanka," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 3(4), pages 1919-1940, December.

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