Sustainability has become an increasingly important global issue, with consumers around the world demanding more ethical and sustainable food production practices. In Asia, the demand for cage-free eggs has been growing rapidly due to health and ethical considerations.

Several regions, including EU member states, have implemented laws to protect egg-laying hens, banning conventional battery cages since 2012. Now, countries such as the USA and others are following suit.

With growing consumer awareness and increasing corporate demand, the transition from caged systems to cage-free systems is expected to become mainstream, transforming the market landscape.

In response to this growing trend, CATALYST, an international social enterprise organization, together with its partner organizations—the National Science and Technology Development Agency of Thailand (NSTDA), University College Dublin, Ireland, and the University of Bristol, UK—successfully held the “Capacity Building on Cage-Free Egg Production System/Layer Hen Welfare – Training of The Trainer (ToT)” event in Bangkok, Thailand, from November 6-10, 2023.

The training brought together delegates from various sectors to build knowledge and skills on sustainable cage-free egg production and the welfare of laying hens. This event marked a significant step towards advancing sustainable and ethical practices in egg production, responding to the growing demand for more humane farming systems.Participants had the opportunity to learn from experts, share best practices, and contribute to the growing movement toward cage-free production systems, which are becoming the global standard.