GLOBALDIV Summer School 2008

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1 GLOBALDIV Summer School 2008 Monday, 8 September 2008 Farm Animal Production Systems and Threats to Biodiversity in Europe Milan Zjalic European Association for Animal Production Via G. Tomassetti, 3 A/ Rome, Italy milan@eaap.org FARM ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Landless industrialized farming systems Appeared 50 years ago. On a global scale, the landless industrialized systems account for 67 % of poultry meat, 42 % of pork, 50% of egg production, 7 % of beef and veal and 1% of sheep and goat meat production (FAO, 2007). Intensification, scaling-up, regional concentration. Cause environmental problems but less than traditional systems. total of 690 million tonnes of cereals were fed to livestock (34 percent of the global cereal harvest), 18 million tonnes of oilseeds (mainly soya), 295 million tonnes of protein-rich agricultural or food processing by-products were used as feed (mainly bran, oilcakes and fishmeal). 1

2 FARM ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS Grassland-based systems Generally use local breeds and crosses. In Europe mostly found in beef and sheep & goat production. Mainly local breeds are kept. Mixed crop-livestock systems Mainly in small-medium farms of Central-Eastern Europe. More intensive production, more external resources required. Highly productive breeds kept. BREEDS TO CONSERVE Critical breeds or breeds close to extinction < 100 breeding females and 5 breeding males. Endangered breeds of breeding females and 5-20 breeding males. Critical maintained breeds and endangered maintained breeds Breeds maintain by a public conservation programme or within a commercial or research facility for cattle for sheep for goats for equidae for pigs for avian species EU CRITERIA 2

3 STEPS IN CONSERVATION Inventory Characterization - Phenotypic - Molecular Identification Registration and herd-book keeping Monitoring and evaluation AnGR CONSERVATION IN EUROPE First conservation initiatives Europe among the first to develop conservation programmes: 1944 Spain, 1969 UK, 1970 France Convention on Biological Diversity signed by 150 gov s. Now ratified by 190 parties worldwide FAO produced State of the World s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture with contributions by 169 countries. Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources. The preparation of the report gave the opportunity to EU member states to review internal and Community policies and programmes. 3

4 PRESENT STATUS OF CONSERVATION IN EUROPE Functional conservation programmes in 33 out of 39 European countries (2005 data) In vivo in situ conservation in 27 countries In vivo ex situ conservation in 7 countries Cryoconservation in 19 countries In vivo conservation programmes of local breeds covered in 2007 (FAO): breeds of cattle breeds of sheep - 51 breeds of goats - 47 breeds of pigs breeds of horses Programmes managed by farmers, breeders associations, state administration and public entities. INSTITUTIONAL SETTING FOR CONSERVATION Definition of breeding objectives: responsibility of breeders associations, academic institutions, private farmers and breeding organisations. New setting: all stakeholders involved, pyramidal structure of accountability. In some countries, guarantors/supervisors for each breed under conservation. SoW process: one breed-one programme rationale. AnGR conservation involves history, cultural values, education, environment. REGIONAL SETTING EAAP European Association for Animal Production Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources Coordination of various EU projects on farm AnGR. ERFP European Regional Focal Point for Animal genetic Resources Coordinates national policies, efforts and programmes. 4

5 EU POLICIES 1993 EU signed the UN Convention on Biological Diversity 1998 Biodiversity Strategy adopted 2001 Four biodiversity action plans: conservation of agricultural resources, agriculture, fisheries, economic/development cooperation 2004 EU established a Community Programme on the conservation, characterisation, collection and utilization of genetic resources in agriculture ( ) 2006 Biodiversity Communication and Action Plan Direct support of local breeds in danger of being lost to farming: 200 per animal (Reg. EC 1698/2008) EFFECTS OF EU POLICIES IN CONSERVATION Finland Most rare breeds kept for non commercial reasons. Increased rare breed populations thanks to EU support. Germany Support by both Federal Govmnt and Laender. No direct payments to farmers. Czech Republic Only national (no EU) support to local breeds. Financial limits related to population trends. Sweden Small support and rural development measures. Increased populations of breeds under conservation. Austria Increasing populations of breeds under conservation. Market orientation of some conserved breeds. Ireland National Scheme for suckler herds includes 3 rare cattle breeds. Direct annual payments. Romania Sporadic measures until recently. In 2007 conservation programme for various species. 5

6 2003 CAP REFORM AND CONSERVATION Beef and sheep&goat sectors Decrease in numbers of sheep/goats in general. Rare breeds more affected. Decoupling: opportunities from other incentives, e.g. rural development. Netherlands: direct payments not efficient way to support conservation. Denmark, Greece, Germany: no major effect of CAP reform on conservation of cattle, sheep and goats. Milk quotas Milk quota system somehow contributed to conservation of cattle breeds in mountain regions (typical products). Abolition of milk quotas: no expected negative effect on cattle conservation programmes dairying is minor aspect of such programmes. COUNTRY POLICIES IN CONSERVATION Russian Federation National Gene Fund Programme developed in Ukraine First programme for AnGR conservation Serbia Functional conservation programme covers several local breeds of cattle, sheep and pigs. Croatia Three cattle breeds saved from extinction. Switzerland & Norway Breed associations in charge of conservation programmes. Turkey Ex situ conservation programmes carried out by academic institutions and research stations Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Albania, Belarus, FYROM No functional conservation programmes. 6

7 THREATS AND RISKS 1 Rapid spread of homogenous large-scale intensive production Already experienced in Western & Central Europe, now in progress in Eastern Europe. Traditional animal farming systems can not meet the growing demand. Changes in demand, resulting in breeds no longer requested. Intensive pig and poultry farming will reduce their populations of local breeds. Number of dairy cows in reduction. Dairy breeds crossed with beef breeds. Growing global demand for beef selection in traditional dual purpose breeds. THREATS AND RISKS 2 Local conflicts and disorders Loss of breeds, spread of diseases, genetic improvement halted. Crossbreeding with more productive breeds Constant risk of cross-breeding of local AnGR with more productive, usually exotic, trans-boundary breeds. Within-breed selection in populations and breeds covered by conservation through sustainable utilization programmes Some local dual-purpose breeds of cattle transformed in beef breeds to prevent their extinction. Disease outbreaks and control programmes and various types of disasters and emergencies Elimination of all infected or suspect animals in breeds under conservation leads to their total loss. 7

8 CONCLUSIONS 1 In almost all European countries there are viable and functional conservation programmes based on legal and institutional framework composed of governmental and academic institutions, private sector and breeders associations. There is a need for better coordination of national efforts in the conservation of trans-boundary breeds and for the establishment of regional cryo-banks. All populations covered by in vivo conservation programmes should be included in cryo-conservation programmes as a safety backup and protection against natural and man-caused calamities and risks of extinction. Policies and measures undertaken by the EU in support of national policies have shown good results in preventing extinction of some endangered breeds and in increasing the number of animals covered by in vivo conservation programmes. National and EU support should cover also facilities and other factors affecting conservation. Changes in the CAP did not have negative effects on the conservation of AnGR. CONCLUSIONS 2 Population size of local breeds that lose their economic importance due to the spread of industrial farming should be monitored within the system of management of AnGR and timely included in national and regional conservation programs. Prevention of armed conflicts and measures aimed at alleviating their consequences should include conservation of AnGR component as a part of heritage and as a base for post-conflict reconstruction. Crossbreeding of local breeds with more productive breeds should be planned, monitored and controlled by bodies in charge of management of farm AnGR. In case of reduced population size and other indicators of endangerment, the breed should be included in a conservation program. 8

9 CONCLUSIONS 3 Crossbreeding of breeds in in situ conservation programs must be avoided. Within-breed selection in in situ conservation programs should be avoided. The economics of conservation through sustainable utilization should include also non-productive components (e.g. environmental services, cultural heritage) and direct subsidies. Conservation sites and populations should be protected from outbreaks of infectious diseases by sanitary and other measures, including decentralized conservation sites and cryo-conservation as a back-up. Thank you for your attention. 9