Why save panda, not the goat?
Threat closer than you think: The extinct Bagot goat. One livestock breed a month has become extinct over the past seven years according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Commission on Genetic Resources. Picture: www.taxidermy4cash.com
Friday, May 9, 2008
THERE is a disturbing phenomenon in the conservation world unknown by most people. Millions of dollars are being spent to save the adorable panda, the untamed tiger and the majestic bald eagle but there is little effort, backed by a measly drip in the ocean of funds, to save a cow, a hen or a goat.
As the meat, milk and egg demands of billions of people increase daily, there is a need to have a closer look at how scientists can do more to save the livestock industry where one livestock breed a month has become extinct over the past seven years.
This is the assessment of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Commission on Genetic Resources which raised the alarm in its State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
"The biggest factor in the gradual loss of livestock breeds is industrial livestock production, especially in developing countries where animal diversity is richest," it said.
"This should stop because in the next 40 years, the world's population will rise from 6.2 billion to 9 billion and we need to increase the resilience of our food supply by maintaining and deploying the widest possible portfolio of animal genetic resources which are vital and irreplaceable," Unfao Assistant Director General Alexander Muller warned.
The demand for meat worldwide is staggering. In southeast Asia alone, the total annual meat consumption varies between more than 50 and five kilos per head, depending on the level of development and affluence. Beef is consumed mainly in the most developed countries, such as Australia and Japan, while mutton and goat meat are generally less important, with the exception of countries in the Pacific region. Pork is the predominant meat consumed in east Asia, 30kg per head per annum. Poultry meat is particularly important in the developed countries, and to a lesser extent in east Asia.
Livestock native breeds are being replaced by highly productive breeds which are often crossbreeds. As native breeds are slowly phased out, so are many valuable traits such as disease resistance, tolerance to harsher environmental conditions, and nutrient-rich meat.
"Time is running out for one fifths of the world's breeds of cattle, goats, pigs, horses and poultry", Muller said.
In Vietnam, the percentage of indigenous sows declined from 72 per cent of the total population to just 26 per cent in 2002.
Of its 14 local breeds, five are classified as vulnerable facing moderate risk of extinction.
The UN agency is urging governments in Asia and Africa to implement a non-nonsense conservation program of their livestock warning that if current trends continue the genetic erosion and extinction is unlikely to reverse.
Unless adequate resources of governments are devoted to the management of animal genetic diversity, there will be a shortage of meat and other products sooner rather than later.
Carlos Sere, Director General of the Kenya-based International Livestock Research Institute backed Unfao's fears: "From a research viewpoint, we'll have to find ways of broadening the use of remaining livestock populations and we'll have to conserve the most important livestock genetic diversity for possible future use-by poor and rich farmers alike," he said.
Presently, the conservation of animal genetic resources are lacking in many developing countries.
Unfao found out that 48 per cent of the world's nations have no national in vivo or live animal conservation programmes.
During the International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources in Switzerland very recently, the agenda focussed heavily on developing a strategy to safeguard the future use, development and conservation of livestock diversity.
Some of the native livestock species facing extinction are the NDama cattle of West and Central Africa, the Sheko cattle of Ethiopia of only a thousand are know to be alive, the Red Maasai sheep of East Africa, Ankole cattle of Central Africa and the Kuri cattle of Camerooon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger.
In Asia, the Philippine tamaraw is facing dwindling population in its only habitat in Mindoro Island. The brightly colored chickens are disappearing.
Unfao said as the convention on biological biodiversity has given sovereign conservation rights and responsibility to the nations, such that each nation should place a national responsibility to see if they have a problem with their animal breeds.
If they do, they have to make national policy changes and develop national conservation strategies.
It is a tall order but it is the only way animal livestock will be saved.
The writer is based in Manila covering environment and community development issues.
The Brunei Times
As the meat, milk and egg demands of billions of people increase daily, there is a need to have a closer look at how scientists can do more to save the livestock industry where one livestock breed a month has become extinct over the past seven years.
This is the assessment of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Commission on Genetic Resources which raised the alarm in its State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
"The biggest factor in the gradual loss of livestock breeds is industrial livestock production, especially in developing countries where animal diversity is richest," it said.
"This should stop because in the next 40 years, the world's population will rise from 6.2 billion to 9 billion and we need to increase the resilience of our food supply by maintaining and deploying the widest possible portfolio of animal genetic resources which are vital and irreplaceable," Unfao Assistant Director General Alexander Muller warned.
The demand for meat worldwide is staggering. In southeast Asia alone, the total annual meat consumption varies between more than 50 and five kilos per head, depending on the level of development and affluence. Beef is consumed mainly in the most developed countries, such as Australia and Japan, while mutton and goat meat are generally less important, with the exception of countries in the Pacific region. Pork is the predominant meat consumed in east Asia, 30kg per head per annum. Poultry meat is particularly important in the developed countries, and to a lesser extent in east Asia.
Livestock native breeds are being replaced by highly productive breeds which are often crossbreeds. As native breeds are slowly phased out, so are many valuable traits such as disease resistance, tolerance to harsher environmental conditions, and nutrient-rich meat.
"Time is running out for one fifths of the world's breeds of cattle, goats, pigs, horses and poultry", Muller said.
In Vietnam, the percentage of indigenous sows declined from 72 per cent of the total population to just 26 per cent in 2002.
Of its 14 local breeds, five are classified as vulnerable facing moderate risk of extinction.
The UN agency is urging governments in Asia and Africa to implement a non-nonsense conservation program of their livestock warning that if current trends continue the genetic erosion and extinction is unlikely to reverse.
Unless adequate resources of governments are devoted to the management of animal genetic diversity, there will be a shortage of meat and other products sooner rather than later.
Carlos Sere, Director General of the Kenya-based International Livestock Research Institute backed Unfao's fears: "From a research viewpoint, we'll have to find ways of broadening the use of remaining livestock populations and we'll have to conserve the most important livestock genetic diversity for possible future use-by poor and rich farmers alike," he said.
Presently, the conservation of animal genetic resources are lacking in many developing countries.
Unfao found out that 48 per cent of the world's nations have no national in vivo or live animal conservation programmes.
During the International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources in Switzerland very recently, the agenda focussed heavily on developing a strategy to safeguard the future use, development and conservation of livestock diversity.
Some of the native livestock species facing extinction are the NDama cattle of West and Central Africa, the Sheko cattle of Ethiopia of only a thousand are know to be alive, the Red Maasai sheep of East Africa, Ankole cattle of Central Africa and the Kuri cattle of Camerooon, Chad, Nigeria and Niger.
In Asia, the Philippine tamaraw is facing dwindling population in its only habitat in Mindoro Island. The brightly colored chickens are disappearing.
Unfao said as the convention on biological biodiversity has given sovereign conservation rights and responsibility to the nations, such that each nation should place a national responsibility to see if they have a problem with their animal breeds.
If they do, they have to make national policy changes and develop national conservation strategies.
It is a tall order but it is the only way animal livestock will be saved.
The writer is based in Manila covering environment and community development issues.
The Brunei Times
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