Animal Welfare in the Global South

The majority of the world's farmed animals live in low- and middle-income countries — where welfare laws are weakest and suffering is most intense

A neglected geography

Animal welfare attention focuses on wealthy countries — but the scale of suffering is largest elsewhere.

The vast majority of academic research, NGO activity, and legislative progress in animal welfare happens in high-income countries. Yet the majority of farmed animals, working animals, and animals experiencing the most severe welfare conditions live in the Global South. This imbalance matters.

70% Of global livestock production now in low/middle-income countries
China World's largest producer of pigs (700M+/year), poultry, and fish
100 million Working equids in developing countries, 80%+ in poor welfare
$1–3 Estimated cost per farm animal helped by Humane Society International's programs in LMICs
The scale problem

Where animal suffering is most concentrated

China

China is the world's largest producer of pigs (~700 million slaughtered annually), poultry, freshwater fish, and many other species. Chinese animal welfare law is extremely limited:

  • China has no national animal cruelty law covering farm animals.
  • Factory farming practices that are being phased out in Europe — battery cages, gestation crates, live-scalding of chickens — remain standard.
  • The growth of Chinese middle-class meat consumption is the largest single driver of global increase in farmed animal numbers.
  • However, Chinese consumer and corporate awareness is growing. Companies like New Crop Capital are investing in Chinese alternative protein startups.

Brazil

Brazil is the world's largest exporter of beef and chicken and a major producer of pork. Deforestation in the Amazon and Cerrado for cattle ranching and soy (used as animal feed) makes Brazilian animal agriculture a global welfare and environmental concern:

  • Brazil slaughters approximately 5.5 billion chickens per year.
  • Cattle ranching has driven an estimated 80% of Amazon deforestation.
  • Brazilian animal welfare law has some farm provisions, but enforcement is weak outside export supply chains subject to EU requirements.

India

India has a complex relationship with animal welfare. Despite religious and cultural traditions of vegetarianism, India is one of the world's largest producers of buffalo meat (for export) and poultry:

  • India produces approximately 4.5 billion chickens per year, mostly in intensive systems.
  • India is the world's largest exporter of buffalo meat (carabeef).
  • The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960) covers farm animals in theory but is rarely enforced for standard husbandry practices.
  • Stray dog and street animal populations — estimated at 35 million — face severe welfare challenges including rabies, traffic injuries, and culling.

Southeast Asia

Vietnam, Thailand, and Indonesia are major producers of shrimp, farmed fish, and poultry. The region accounts for a large fraction of global aquaculture output. Welfare standards are among the lowest anywhere, and regulatory capacity is limited.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Rapidly growing urban populations are driving rapid expansion of intensive poultry farming across Nigeria, Ethiopia, Kenya, and other countries — often without welfare frameworks. At the same time, traditional extensive livestock systems (cattle herding, pastoralism) provide better welfare than factory farming but face pressure from land use changes.

Unique challenges

Why animal welfare in LMICs requires different approaches

  • Poverty and food security: In many contexts, animals are a primary source of nutrition and income for poor families. Welfare improvements must be integrated with livelihood support — not imposed as external regulations that threaten livelihoods.
  • Capacity gaps: Veterinary infrastructure, regulatory enforcement capacity, and trained animal welfare professionals are scarce in many LMICs.
  • Cultural context: Animal welfare concepts developed primarily in Western contexts may not translate directly. Effective advocacy requires cultural sensitivity and local partnership.
  • Working animal dependency: 600 million people's livelihoods depend on working equids. Improving their welfare directly improves human welfare — a powerful co-benefit argument.
  • Rapid industrialization: Many LMICs are currently transitioning from traditional extensive farming to intensive factory farming — a window to influence the trajectory before bad practices become entrenched.
Effective interventions

What works in LMIC animal welfare

Corporate engagement in supply chains

Major global retailers and food companies sourcing from LMICs are increasingly requiring welfare standards in their supply chains. EU trade requirements have driven significant improvements in Brazilian and Thai export supply chains for chicken and shrimp — often ahead of domestic law. Supporting organizations that work on supply chain standards has global reach.

Working equid programs

Programs by Brooke and SPANA providing veterinary care, community education, and harness improvement for working horses, donkeys, and mules are highly cost-effective:

  • Healthier animals work longer and better, improving family incomes
  • Community ownership of welfare improvements makes them sustainable
  • Low cost per animal helped compared to higher-income country interventions

Alternative protein development in China and India

Investing in alternative protein companies in China and India — where future demand growth is concentrated — could have far larger impact per dollar than equivalent investment in already-high-income Western markets.

Policy capacity building

Organizations like the World Animal Protection work with governments in LMICs to develop animal welfare legal frameworks and regulatory capacity. This creates durable institutional change at scale.

Key organizations

Organizations working on global welfare

World Animal Protection

Works in 50+ countries to protect animals from suffering. Campaigns on farm animal welfare in Asia, Latin America, and Africa — often where no other welfare organizations operate.

Humane Society International

HSI's Farm Animal Welfare programs work directly with farmers in China, India, Mexico, and other countries to transition away from the worst confinement practices. Estimated cost: $1–3 per farm animal helped.

Brooke

Reaches 30 million+ working equids across 11 countries in Africa and Asia. Operates with a co-development model that builds local capacity rather than imposing external standards.

SPANA

Free veterinary care for working animals in Morocco, Ethiopia, Cambodia, and 8 other countries. Treats 380,000+ animals per year.

Good Food Institute

GFI has offices in Brazil, India, and Southeast Asia specifically to accelerate alternative protein development in the regions where future demand growth is highest.

FOUR PAWS

Active in Eastern Europe, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East on farm animal welfare, stray animal management, and bear welfare.

What you can do

How to maximize global impact

Give to global-reach organizations

HSI, World Animal Protection, and Brooke operate where suffering is most intense and cost per animal helped is lowest. See the giving guide.

Support supply chain standards

When buying food from global supply chains, look for certifications that include welfare requirements in producing countries, not just domestic standards.

Support GFI's global programs

Alternative proteins in China and India could spare more animals than equivalent investment in Western markets. GFI's Asia and India programs deserve more funding.

Advocate for trade-linked welfare standards

EU and US trade agreements can require welfare standards in trading partner supply chains — one of the most powerful levers for global welfare improvement.