Stakeholder evaluation of livestock scenarios in Switzerland using value-based multi-criteria analysis

CONTEXT,Agri-food systems are multi-functional, leading to unavoidable trade-offs when attempting to transform them for greater sustainability. Addressing these trade-offs while considering food security and balancing social, environmental, and economic welfare could unlock opportunities for meaningful transformation.,OBJECTIVE,This study aims to reveal the unavoidable trade-offs in Swiss livestock production and understand how different stakeholders in the system wish to address these trade-offs.,METHODS,We applied value-focused Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) to assess four contrasting scenarios for the future of Swiss livestock production. These scenarios are business as usual, efficiency, sufficiency, and consistency. We based the relative assessment on (1) the system predictions on 14 key objectives that the sector should fulfill and (2) stakeholder preferences on how to prioritize these objectives. To understand stakeholder preferences, we collected weighting data from 20 representatives across three political clusters: green, conservative, and liberal.,RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS,Our findings indicate strong disagreement among stakeholders regarding the importance of animal welfare and domestic food production. However, despite these differences, the sufficiency and consistency scenarios were found to be more satisfactory for all stakeholders compared to the business as usual and efficiency scenarios. These results highlight potential pathways for more widely accepted policy interventions.,SIGNIFICANCE,By illustrating key trade-offs and stakeholder preferences, this study provides valuable insights for policymaking in Swiss livestock production and beyond. The findings can help guide the development of more sustainable and broadly supported agricultural policies, e.g. prioritizing goals for reorienting subsidies.