projects

Cage-free egg transition in Brazil and China

High-profile global campaigns led by animal welfare NGOs are seeking to eliminate cage-hen egg production

In Brazil and China, two of the world's largest egg producers, many eggs are produced on family farms. These farmers often lack access to the training, technical support and investment needed to make a successful switch to cage-free production. Without this support, animal welfare benefits of cage-free may fall short of expectations, while farmers face significant economic and practical challenges. Experience in Europe suggests that adapting to cage-free systems can take up to 10 years.

CIWF Eggtrack Report

Supporting Cage-free

sankalpa supported a workshop in Jaboticabal, Brazil, in 2018, bringing together 60 small- and medium-scale egg producers, NGOs, researchers, and supply chain stakeholders. The workshop identified the key barriers, support needs, and opportunities for a sustainable transition from conventional cage systems to cage-free egg production. Building on these findings, a follow-up training session was delivered in May 2019 to assist Brazilian producers address the practical challenges of implementing cage-free systems.

Furthermore, learnings from Brazil were applied to funding applications for a similar approach to supporting the cage-free transitions in China. This work is on-going today.