Pursuing zero-grain livestock production in China

China is currently experiencing a transition toward the consumption of more animal-sourced food, so more grains are needed as animal feed. Existing feed grain consumption has significantly intensified the food-feed competition, while strategies to reduce the reliance on feed grains may deliver benefits to food security and sustainability. However, the potential for China to transition toward a zero-grain livestock system, as well as relevant resource implications, remains unclear. Here, we chart a transition from the current agri-food system through progress in the supply, production, and demand sides of the system using corresponding recycling, optimizing, and reshaping technologies. We find that combining the three optimization strategies could cut down feed grain consumption from 414 to 12 Mt by 2030, meanwhile reducing grass forage demand by 20% along with decreased land use by 36% and nutrient input by 25%. These findings have implications for achieving the transition to a sustainable agri-food system and emphasize the need for comprehensive policy and technical support to implement the proposed strategy.