http://www.fao.org/publications/sowangr/en/ Animal genetic resource diversity underpins the supply livestock products and services across a wide range of production environments. It promotes resilience and serves as a basis for adapting livestock management to changing conditions. It is vital to the livelihoods of many of the world’s poor people. It can contribute to the delivery of ecosystem services. However, it is often undervalued, underused and under threat. Drawing on 129 country reports, 15 reports from international organizations, 4 reports from regional focal points, 2 thematic studies and information reported to the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System, the report presents an analysis of the state of livestock diversity, the influence of livestock-sector trends on the management of animal genetic resources, the state of capacity to manage animal genetic resources, including legal and policy frameworks, and the state of the art in tools and methods for characterization, valuation, use, development and conservation. © FAO: http://www.fao.org

1. THE SECOND REPORT ON THE STATE OF
THE WORLD’S
ANIMAL GENETICS RESOURCES
FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE
Beate Scherf
Coordinator State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources process
Animal Production and Health Division

3. Process and key findings
1. About the Second Report
2. Roles, uses and values
3. Livestock sector trends
4. Genetic diversity under threat
5. Capacity needs

4. 1. About the Second Report

5. About the second assessment
• Requested by the Commission on
Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture in April 2013
• Update of The State of the World’s
Animal Genetic Resources for Food and
Agriculture, published in 2007
• Assessments foreseen in 10 year cycle

6. Draws on information from
Domestic Animal Diversity
Information System (DAD-IS)
15 reports from international
organizations
4 reports from regional focal
points and networks
150 co-authors and reviewers
129 country reports
2 thematic studies
(ecosystem services, patent landscape)

7. Participation
in the reporting process

8. 2. Roles, uses and values

9. Milk

10. Milk

11. Eggs

12. Skins and hides

13. Fibre

14. Fertilizer

15. Fuel

16. Draught power

17. Transport

18. Economic assets
and insurance

19. Adaptation

20. Source of resilience
in face of climate change
Photo credit: Fabrice Romain Monteiro/Werner-Lampert-GmbH

21. Ecosystem services:
avalanche & fire control & landscape management

22. Ecosystem services:
nutrient cycling and seed dispersal

23. Livelihoods

24. What needs to be done?
Knowledge of animal genetic resources and their production
environments needs to be improved, including knowledge of:
 the roles of different types of livestock in the supply of goods and
services,
 the impact of different types of livestock keeping on ecosystem
functions,
 the adaptive characteristics of individual breeds to cope well with
aspects of the production environment.

25. 3. Livestock sector trends

26. Drivers of change
Increasing impact
Continuing impact
Predicted trends in impact
Moderate
High
Low
Magnitude of impact
Demand for livestock
products
Marketing infrastructure
and access
Retailing
Imports of
animal products
Exports of
animal products
Changes to grazing land &
other natural resources
Economic, livelihood and
lifestyle factors
Replacement of livestock
functions
Technology
Disease
Climate
Policy factors

27. Drivers of change
Increasing impact
Continuing impact
Predicted trends in impact
Moderate
High
Low
Magnitude of impact
Demand for livestock
products
Marketing infrastructure
and access
Retailing
Imports of
animal products
Exports of
animal products
Changes to grazing land &
other natural resources
Economic, livelihood and
lifestyle factors
Replacement of livestock
functions
Technology
Disease
Climate
Policy factors

28. Demand for livestock products
- meat production trends

29. Policy factors

30. Economic factorsEconomic factors

31. Livelihood and lifestyle factors

32. Technology

33. What needs to be done?
Livestock-sector trends need to be identified and monitored more
effectively, so that action can be taken.

34. 4. Genetic diversity
under threat

35. Status of the
world’s livestock breeds

36. Genetic erosion

37. Threats
Indiscriminate cross-breeding

38. Threats
Introduction/increased use of exotic breeds

39. Threats
Weak policies or institutions

40. Threats
Lack of profitability/competitiveness

41. Threats
Production system intensification

42. Threats
Diseases/disease management

43. What needs to be done?
 Monitoring of trends in the size, structure and distribution of
breed populations needs to be improved.
 Threats to animal genetic resources need to be better identified
and their potential effects better assessed.

44. 5. Capacity needs

45. Capacity needs
Education
and research
Legal and policy
frameworks
Knowledge and
awareness
Stakeholder
participation
Physical
infrastructure
Inventory,
characterization
and monitoring
Conservation
programmes
Breeding
programmes

46. What need to be done?
 Improving awareness, education, training and research
 Strengthening breeding strategies and programmes
 Expanding and diversifying conservation programmes
 Developing national strategies and action plans
 Strengthening National Focal Points
 Improving international cooperation

47. From assessment to
policy response
Global Plan of Action for
Animal Genetic Resources
National strategies
and action plans

48. Please find the report and a range of communication products at
http://www.fao.org/publications/SoWAnGR/