Assessing the Role of Rabbits in Circular Food Systems: A Review

Abstract

Rabbits are gradually gaining attention as effective players in circular food systems mainly because they can manage resource and nutrient waste, minimize waste, and improve food quality. This review discusses the diverse areas in sustainable agriculture where the rabbit plays a part because of its efficiency in feed conversion to produce high-quality protein. The paper reviews published literature to establish that rabbits are versatile animals regarding the husbandry practices they can be subjected to or the ability to feed on kitchen wastes and agricultural residues. The research findings reveal that rabbit manure can be an excellent organic manure for soil and crops. In addition, the potential for rabbit farming as an economic enterprise of smallholder farmers and urban farming is discussed. Several consequences of integrating rabbits into local food systems are analyzed, especially concerning the problems of feeding the world’s population and the availability of resources. This review highlights possible future studies to improve rabbit husbandry and, further, the role of rabbits in food security.

Keywords: Climate smart production, Circular food systems, Food security, Rabbits, Resilience, Sustainable agriculture,