Transition to a plant-based diet could transform the labour market in agriculture

According to research by the University of Oxford, the global transition to a plant-based diet could reduce demand for agricultural labour demand by 5-28% by 2030, mainly due to the decline in animal husbandry.

The study published in The Lancet Planetary Health examines what changes are needed in diets and food systems to mitigate climate change and achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals

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At the same time lower-income countries may need up to 56 million new workers to ramp up fruit, vegetable, legume and nut production. The global restructuring of food production could cut agricultural labour costs by USD 290-995bn per year.