Wild meat: developing alternatives through good project design

In many rural areas worldwide, wild meat plays a crucial role in people’s diet. However, its overexploitation in some areas puts food security, rural livelihoods and biodiversity conservation at risk. One way to tackle these challenges is to establish wild meat alternative projects. But to ensure these succeed, we need to understand why people eat wild meat and what alternatives are acceptable. This briefing argues for ‘back to basics’ project design, drawing on IIED and partner guidance. This should be based on fundamental principles that reflect the reality and preferences of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLCs) through participatory processes. Good project design, as part of national, regional and global wild meat strategies, will contribute to a more sustainable wild meat sector.