ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF FAO(CONSERVACIÓN Y DESARROLLO DE LOS RECURSOS GENÉTICOS ANIMALES: EL PAPEL DE LA FAO)

Cardellino R.A.

Description

Abstract
Livestock is an important component of food security in most developing countries, accounting for more than 40 percent of overall agricultural output, and serving as source of food, shelter and protection, energy, fuel, fertilizer and cash, and to maintain cultural values. FAO has estimated that demand for meat will double by 2030 (2000 basis) and demand for milk will more than double in this 30-year period. Animal genetic resources are disappearing rapidly worldwide: over the past 15 years, 300 out of 6000 breeds identified (www.fao.org/DAD-IS) have become extinct, and one to two breeds disappear every week. FAO has been requested by its member countries to develop and implement a global strategy for the management of farm animal genetic resources, to serve as a strategic framework to guide international efforts in animal genetic resources conservation and development, enhancing awareness of the multiple roles and values of animal genetic resources, and providing a basis for establishing national, regional and global policies, strategies and actions. The Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (www.fao.org/ag) provides government guidance to FAO in the area of animal genetic resources, aided by the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources. As part of the Global Strategy for the management of farm animal genetic resources FAO has invited 188 countries to participate in the First report on the state of the world's animal genetic resources, to be completed before 2006. To date 142 countries have accepted to participate in this global assessment and reporting effort, and submit country reports.
Resumen
Los recursos ganaderos son un componente importante de la seguridad alimentaria en la mayor parte de los países en desarrollo, correspondiendo a más de 40 p.100 del producto agrícola y sirviendo como fuente de alimentos, abrigo y protección, energía, combustible, fertilizantes, ahorros y valor cultural. FAO ha estimado que la demanda por carne se duplicará en 2030 (base 2000) y que la demanda por leche será más del doble en este período de 30 años. Los recursos zoogenéticos están desapareciendo rápidamente en todo el mundo: en los últimos 15 años, 300 de 6000 razas identificadas (www.fao.org/DADIS) se han extinguido, y entre una y dos razas desaparecen por semana. Los países miembros de FAO han solicitado que ésta desarrolle e implemente una estrategia mundial para la gestión de los recursos zoogenéticos, que sirva de marco estratégico que guíe los esfuerzos internacionales para la conservación y el desarrollo de los recursos zoogenéticos, crear conciencia de los muchos roles y valores de los recursos zoogenéticos, y proveer una base para establecer políticas y acciones nacionales, regionales y mundiales. La Comisión sobre los Recursos Genéticos para la Alimentación y la Agricultura (www.fao.org/ag) provee las directrices de los gobiernos a FAO sobre recursos zoogenéticos, con la ayuda del Grupo de Trabajo Intergubernamental Técnico sobre los Recursos Zoogenéticos. Como parte de la estrategia mundial FAO ha invitado a 188 países a participar del Primer informe mundial sobre el estado de los recursos zoogenéticos, que se completará antes de 2006. Hasta la fecha 142 países han aceptado participar de este relevamiento e informe mundial, y preparar informes de país.

Sujets

• Livestock
• Extinction
• Food security
• Population
• Ganado
• Extinción
• Seguridad alimentaria
• Población biológica

Informations

• Publié par: erevistas
• Publié le: 01 janvier 2003
• Nombre de lectures: 10
• Langue: English

Extrait

ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND
DEVELOPMENT: THE ROLE OF FAO
CONSERVACIÓN Y DESARROLLO DE LOS RECURSOS GENÉTICOS ANIMALES:
EL PAPEL DE LA FAO
Cardellino, R.A.
Animal Production and Health Division. FAO. 00100 Rome. Italy.
E mail: [e-mail]
ADDITIONAL KEYWORDS PALABRAS CLAVE ADICIONALES
Razas. Ganado. Extinción. Seguridad alimentaria.Breeds. Livestock. Extinction. Food security.
Poblaciones.Populations.
SUMMARY
Livestock is an important component of food (www.fao.org/ag) provides government
security in most developing countries, accounting guidance to FAO in the area of animal genetic
for more than 40 percent of overall agricultural resources, aided by the Intergovernmental
output, and serving as source of food, shelter Technical Working Group on Animal Genetic
and protection, energy, fuel, fertilizer and cash, Resources. As part of the Global Strategy for the
and to maintain cultural values. FAO has estimated management of farm animal genetic resources
that demand for meat will double by 2030 (2000 FAO has invited 188 countries to participate in the
basis) and demand for milk will more than double First report on the state of the world's animal
in this 30 year period. Animal genetic resources genetic resources, to be completed before 2006.
are disappearing rapidly worldwide: over the To date 142 countries have accepted to participate
past 15 years, 300 out of 6000 breeds identified in this global assessment and reporting effort,
(www.fao.org/DAD IS) have become extinct, and submit country reports.
and one to two breeds disappear every week.
FAO has been requested by its member countries
to develop and implement a global strategy for the RESUMEN
management of farm animal genetic resources,
to serve as a strategic framework to guide inter Los recursos ganaderos son un componen
national efforts in animal genetic resources te importante de la seguridad alimentaria en la
conservation and development, enhancing mayor parte de los países en desarrollo, corres
awareness of the multiple roles and values of pondiendo a más de 40 p.100 del producto agrí
animal genetic resources, and providing a basis cola y sirviendo como fuente de alimentos, abrigo
for establishing national, regional and global y protección, energía, combustible, fertilizantes,
policies, strategies and actions. The Commission ahorros y valor cultural. FAO ha estimado que la
on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture demanda por carne se duplicará en 2030 (base
Arch. Zootec. 52: 185 192. 2003.CARDELLINO
2000) y que la demanda por leche será más del urban communities.
doble en este período de 30 años. Los recursos FAO coordinates the Global stra
zoogenéticos están desapareciendo rápidamente tegy for the management of farm ani
en todo el mundo: en los últimos 15 años, 300 demal genetic resources at the request of
6000 razas identificadas (www.fao.org/DAD its member countries. The main moti
IS) se han extinguido, y entre una y dos razas vation for this international effort is the
desaparecen por semana. Los países miembros important erosion of animal genetic
de FAO han solicitado que ésta desarrolle e resources world wide, and the increa
implemente una estrategia mundial para la ges sing demand for animal products,
tión de los recursos zoogenéticos, que sirva de especially in developing countries.
marco estratégico que guíe los esfuerzos inter
Many communities in those countries
nacionales para la conservación y el desarrollo
depend on their local livestock for food
de los recursos zoogenéticos, crear conciencia
security and sustainable livelihoods.
de los muchos roles y valores de los recursos
An initial step in the context of the
zoogenéticos, y proveer una base para estable
global strategy is the completion of the
cer políticas y acciones nacionales, regionales y
First report on the state of the world's
mundiales. La Comisión sobre los Recursos
animal genetic resources. This is a
Genéticos para la Alimentación y la Agricultura
global assessment process starting with
(www.fao.org/ag) provee las directrices de los
the preparation of national reports by
gobiernos a FAO sobre recursos zoogenéticos,
participating countries, followed by
con la ayuda del Grupo de Trabajo Interguber
regional syntheses, regional prioritynamental Técnico sobre los Recursos Zoogené
actions reports and a global priorityticos. Como parte de la estrategia mundial FAO ha
actions report. It will guide actions, atinvitado a 188 países a participar del Primer
national and regional levels, to conser informe mundial sobre el estado de los recursos
ve and develop farm animal geneticzoogenéticos, que se completará antes de 2006.
resources.Hasta la fecha 142 países han aceptado partici
par de este relevamiento e informe mundial, y
preparar informes de país.
DOMESTIC ANIMAL DIVERSITY AT
RISK
INTRODUCTION
It has been estimated by FAO
The Food and Agriculture Organi (2003a) (www.fao.org) that demand
zation of the United Nations (FAO, for meat will double by 2030 (2000
2003a) is an intergovernmental organi basis) and demand for milk will more
zation founded in 1945 to fight hungerthan double in this 30 year period. The
and poverty (www.fao.org). The livestock sector in developing coun
poorest regions of the world, where tries accounts for more than 40 percent
malnutrition is a serious problem, are of overall agricultural output, serving
located primarily in Africa, Asia, Latin as source of food, such as milk, meat
America and Eastern Europe. All of and eggs; shelter and protection based
these regions are heavily dependent on on fiber and hides; energy in the form
livestock for the survival of their people,of animal draught and transport; fuel
especially in low income rural and peri and fertilizer utilizing animal manure;
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 52, núm. 198, p. 186.ROLE OF FAO IN ANIMAL CONSERVATION
savings based on the cash value of combinations existing in those breeds.
animals; and as part of cultural and The trend towards fewer breeds has
traditional values. Local communities been facilitated by the biotechnologies
manage and utilize local breeds for that make possible worldwide access
their survival. The disappearance or to germplasm, and the improvement
reduction of these locally adapted ani and easy movement of highly selected
mal populations will force rural breeds. The result to date is that a
populations to migrate to already large number of breeds and strains
overcrowded urban areas, increasing which were highly adapted to very
food insecurity and provoking irrever specific environmental and feeding
sible social disintegration of rural conditions are now threatened or
communities. Since there is a large extinct. During the history of domestic
interdependence between the livestock livestock breeding, all over the world, a
and the crop components in low input very large number of breeds have been
production systems, the loss of local created, and many breeds have
breeds will also have negative effects disappeared. For the past 100 years
on the yield of local crops. there has been a high increase in the
The locally adapted indigenous rate of extinction of breeds and varieties
breeds in developing countries have which has been larger than the rate of
low absolute production figures but formation of new breeds.
often productivity turns out to be high There are several primary factors
if the production environment and the responsible for diminishing animal
level of input are taken into conside genetic diversity, in particular in
ration. Indigenous breeds produce and developing countries, but many of these
reproduce despite the sometimes very factors apply to developed countries
harsh environmental conditions, and as well.
are considered an important asset since The introduction of exotic germ
they have developed over time valuable plasm of non adapted breeds followed
adaptive traits. This productivity in by rapid spread through indiscriminate
harsh environments is critically impor crossbreeding. This has frequently
tant since the vast majority of the arisen through wrong advice, based in
world cannot sustain high input high many cases on biased and misleading
output systems. comparisons between the indigenous
The main cause of genetic erosion breed and the exotic breed. The result
is the growing trend of global reliance has been that some indigenous breeds
on a very limited number of modern or local varieties have been lost or
breeds suited for the high input high have their numbers greatly diminished.
output needs of industrial agriculture. Changes in preferences to other
Since about 50 percent of the total breeds have occurred because of short
variation at the quantitative level is term social and economic influences.
between breeds, utilizingutilizing just a These may arise from agricultural
few breeds would eliminate a conside policies promoting rapid solutions that
rable amount of variation in the species,are not sustainable in the long term, or
in addition to the loss of unique gene from changes in the market requi
Archivos de zootecnia vol. 52, núm. 198, p. 187.C