Animal genetic resources

Il est vital de protéger les éleveurs de bétail traditionnels

Four-page article in French: "It is vital to protect traditional livestock keepers."Depuis la nuit des temps, des sociétés traditionnelles d’éleveurs de bétail et de volaille sélectionnent* des races d’animaux dans toutes sortes d’environnements dans le monde. Mais la globalisation et l’industrialisation de l’élevage menacent de plus en plus la richesse génétique présente dans les 6000 races d’animaux ainsi sélectionnées. Sauver les peuples pasteurs qui maintiennent ce trésor en vie passe par la reconnaissance et la juste rétribution de leur travail irremplaçable de sélection

The Karen commitment: Pastoralist/Indigenous Livestock Keepers’ Rights

Leaders of traditional livestock and pastoral communities, government representatives, civil society organizations with a focus on livestock genetic resources, academics and livestock researchers met in Karen, Kenya on 27–30 October, 2003. They issued a statement calling on governments and relevant international bodies to recognize the contribution of pastoralists to food and livelihood security, environmental services and domestic animal diversity and to conserving and sustainable use of animal genetic resources. They called for an international legally-binding recognition of inalienable Livestock Keepers’ Rights and the Rights of their communities.

Managing animal genetic resources at the community level

Animal breeds become extinct for many reasons, including replacement by exotic breeds, the loss of grazing opportunities, the absence of market demand and lack of competitiveness with improved breeds, the disappearance of indigenous knowledge and institutions, and conflicts and catastrophes. A breed survey can help identify and document breeds that are hitherto unrecognized by outsiders. The best way of conserving local breeds is by creating an enabling environment for the breeding communities. Strategies include increasing community awareness, creating the right policy framework, organization and capacity-building for breeders, creating a market and marketing facilities for products of the breed, and breed improvement through selection.

Losing livestock, losing livelihoods

Although less talked about, the loss of biodiversity in domestic animals is even more acute than in crops, because the gene pool is already much smaller and because fewer wild relatives remain. Livestock conservation programmes have not been a priority and local breeds are continuing to disappear at an alarming rate. This neglect poses a serious threat to the global food supply and the millions of people who depend on domestic animals for their livelihoods.