On a global scale, animal products are getting more popular. In under 10 years, the worldwide consumption of animal products is expected to increase by nearly 8% (OECD-FAO, 2025a, pp. 25-26; OECD-FAO, 2025b). Even though high-income countries are already huge consumers of animal products, their consumption levels are expected to remain fairly stable, increasing by only 1%. The vast majority of this growth in animal product consumption will be driven by a predicted 14% growth in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Home to roughly 85% of the world’s population, LMICs’ increasing consumption of animal products could lead to skyrocketing animal suffering, as well as considerable negative effects on the environment and human health (Drewnowski and Hooker, 2025).

Importantly, however, the expansion of food systems rooted in animal suffering is not inevitable, especially if advocates are well informed about the drivers of industrial animal agriculture. Multinational animal agriculture corporations like Tyson Foods are certainly seeking to expand their customer base, but they are not the only key actors supporting the spread of their industry.

Development finance institutions, various United Nations agencies and programs, philanthropic foundations, and major non-governmental organizations (NGOs) all directly and indirectly support the expansion of industrial animal agriculture. Together, they provide billions of dollars each year to projects focused on increasing meat, fish, egg, and dairy consumption in LMICs (Stop Financing Factory Farming, 2024; IFC, 2025). These organizations have a number of different goals, including ending poverty, achieving zero hunger, ensuring adequate nutrition, improving financial livelihoods, supporting economic development, and creating a sustainable food system, among others. Unfortunately, animal products are often the first tool these organizations reach for in order to meet these goals.

Animal advocates and food researchers alike argue that animal products are not the only means for achieving goals of food security, adequate nutrition, sustainability, economic development, and financial well-being. But in order to create a world where these international organizations are focused on promoting nutritious, affordable, and sustainable plant-based foods rather than strengthening the hold of industrial animal agriculture, animal advocates must understand how these organizations operate and how this can be changed. Moreover, it is imperative that any steps taken to reduce animal product consumption in LMICs are paired with solutions to provide nutritionally equal or better plant-based foods.

In this report, we examine the role of international organizations in the expansion of industrial animal agriculture across low- and middle-income countries, as well as the factors that influence their financial support to the animal agriculture industry. We also provide insights into the ways animal advocates can shape the decision-making of these organizations. These recommendations are informed both by the literature on this topic and, critically, by conversations with people who have worked in and alongside many of the international organizations and non-governmental organizations who exert the most influence in this space.

Notes On Terminology

Throughout this report, we use the term “international organization” to refer to development institutions, inter-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations, and other entities that work on development issues around the world and especially in low- and middle-income countries. These organizations include groups like the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation, as well as the United Nations and related agencies.

This report focuses on LMICs, which has a specific definition based on gross national income. Details can be found in the Method section. This classification is related to and often preferred over the term “developing countries,” which has been critiqued for a number of reasons (Mahler, Holla, and Serajuddin, 2024). While we largely discuss LMICs, there may be references to “developing countries” if this is the term used by a source.