AnGR Social and economic aspects
Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/3680
Browse
Recent Submissions
Item African–German co-operation in higher education supported by the German Technical Co-operation Agency (GTZ): Experiences and lessons learned(Book Chapter, 2002) Wollny, C.B.A.; Chagunda, Mizeck G.G.; Molapong, K.; Richter, W.; Mumba, P.Item Bottlenecks and needs of German Development Cooperation in the field of management of agricultural biodiversity(Case Study, 2000) Thies, E.Item Managing agrobiodiversity in disaster situations(Case Study, 2000) Kundermann, B.Item The indigenous domestic animal genetic resources of Uganda(Journal Article, 1995) Mbuza, F.M.B.Item Village N'Dama cattle production in West Africa: Six years of research in The Gambia(Book, 1997) Agyemang, K.; Dwinger, R.H.; Little, D.A.; Rowlands, G.J.Item Economic trade-offs between milk and meat production under various supplementation levels in Botswana(Report, 1983) Konandreas, P.A.; Anderson, F.M.; Trail, J.C.M.Describes a dynamic & stochastic simulation model, specifying its driving variables & validating it for production conditions in a study area in Botswana. Compares the simulated performance of Tswana & Simmental x Tswana cattle, analysing economic trade-offs between milk & meat production under various supplementation levels & milking policies.Item Economic evaluation and biodiversity conservation of animal genetic resources(Report, 2003) Roosen, J.; Fadlaoui, A.; Bertaglia, M.Item Costs and benefits of preserving farm animal genetic resources from extinction: CVM and Bio-economic model for valuing a conservation program for the Italian Pentro horse(Journal Article, 2003-07) Cicia, G.; D'Ercole, E.; Marino, D.This paper presents the results of a cost-benefit analysis of a conservation program for the Pentro horse. This horse breed has been reared for millennia in a Southern Italian wetland where it is now strongly tied to the traditions of the region, but presently faces extinction as only 150 horses have survived. Horse herds live in a wild state, characterising in a remarkable manner the landscape of the wetland. This results in a flow of social benefits that the market value of this breed fails to capture. The benefits from a conservation program for this currently unprotected local breed is estimated in a contingent valuation study, while a bio-economic model is used to estimate the costs associated with its in situ conservation. The results show that the benefit/cost ratio is, in the worst scenario, equal to 1.67, thus justifying a conservation policy. This combined approach could be useful to support policy-making for conservation in regions with a long history of breeding domestic animals.Item Animal genetic resources and sustainable livelihoods(Journal Article, 2003-07) Anderson, S.Many of the world's poor depend directly upon genetic, species and ecosystem biodiversity for their livelihoods. In many regions animal genetic resources (AnGR) are a vital component of this biodiversity. An estimated 1.96 billion people rely on livestock to supply part, or their entire daily needs. Complex, diverse and risk-prone peasant livelihood systems need AnGR that are capable of performing the functions required of them in these systems—AnGR that are flexible, resistant and diverse. In order to assess the importance of AnGR, as distinct from livestock per se, for sustaining and improving the livelihoods of the poor, the factors that differentiate between species and breeds in terms of the functions that animals fulfil in livelihoods and household economies need to be better understood. Central to this is the need to understand the functions of livestock as household assets, the full set of purposes the poor have in investing resources in livestock keeping, and the genetic traits that are important for the fulfilment of these purposes. If AnGR conservation is to make a contribution to improving the livelihoods of poor livestock keepers, the relative importance of AnGR from the livestock keepers’ perspective should be appraised. Then ways of maintaining and enhancing AnGR best suited to improving the livelihoods of the poor and ensuring equitable access to these resources can be addressed.Item Valuing animal genetic resources: Lessons from plant genetic resources(Journal Article, 2003-07) Gollin, Douglas; Evenson, R.Item The need to conserve farm animal genetic resources in Africa: Should policy makers be concerned?(Journal Article, 2003-07) Wollny, C.B.A.This paper outlines key factors contributing to the erosion of animal genetic resources and discusses strategic options for policy makers. The ratification of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1993 represents an international consensus to conserve biodiversity including that of farm animal genetic resources (FAnGR). In Africa, conservation of agricultural biodiversity is inbuilt into the low input–low output production strategies of smallholder farming systems. These systems are often associated with poverty in rural areas and numerous development projects have thus sought to alleviate such poverty by promoting crossbreeding or modern reproductive technologies. However, uncontrolled crossbreeding has been and remains a threat to the conservation of local farm animal populations. Objectives for the conservation of a local farm animal population and opportunities to utilise its diversity to meet present and future market demands, to serve as an insurance against environmental changes such as changes in production, socio-economic, and cultural conditions can be identified for research and development. To improve food security and to alleviate poverty through the conservation of FAnGR in Africa, utilisation of local farm animal populations depends on the ability of communities to decide on and implement appropriate breeding strategies. It is for this reason that enabling policies are required.Item Socioeconomic causes of loss of animal genetic diversity: Analysis and assessment(Journal Article, 2003-07) Tisdell, C.A.The proximate causes and processes involved in loss of breeds are outlined. The path-dependent effect and Swanson's dominance-effect are discussed in relation to lock-in of breed selection. These effects help to explain genetic erosion. It is shown that the extension of markets and economic globalisation have contributed significantly to the loss of breeds. The decoupling of animal husbandry from surrounding natural environmental conditions is further eroding the stock of genetic resources. Recent trends in animal husbandry raise serious sustainability issues, apart from animal welfare concerns. The extension of markets and economic globalisation have contributed significantly to the rapid loss of domestic breeds, especially livestock.Item The challenge of conserving indigenous domesticated animals(Journal Article, 2003-07) Mendelsohn, R.This special issue contains many valuable studies of indigenous domesticated animal genetic resources. Individual farmers throughout the world are abandoning many breeds that have been locally adapted over thousands of years in favor of new exotic but more productive breeds. Economics can explain some of this transition as cheaper grains and modem genetic tools have made more intensive husbandry more profitable. Poorly designed government policies may have contributed to the decline as well. The general decline of indigenous species especially in developing countries raises many conservation issues. What role should local breeds continue to have in local economies? Is there a social argument such as keeping historical livelihoods intact or keeping genetic diversity intact for government programs to maintain economically inferior breeds? What is the most efficient design for animal conservation programs?Item Community-based management of animal genetic resources: A tool for rural development and food security: Workshop documentation, Mbabane, Swaziland, 7-11 May 2001(Conference Proceedings, 2001-05-07) Hagmann, J.; Drews, A.Item Domestic animal biodiversity conservation: A case study of rural development plans in the European Union(Journal Article, 2003-07) Signorello, G.; Pappalardo, G.In this paper we examine the content of farm animal biodiversity conservation measures currently under implementation in the European Union (EU), as a result of the application of EC Regulations 1257/99 and 1750/99. We surveyed 69 Rural Development Plans (RDPs) set up in EU Member States. Our analysis focuses on six livestock mammalian species: asses, cattle, goats, horses, pigs, and sheep The starting point for our investigation is the Domestic Animals Diversity-Information System (DAD-IS) FAO database which monitors the status of breeds in the world. We compare breeds included in the DAD-IS FAO database with breeds covered by the various RDPs. The analysis highlights that many breeds at risk of extinction according the FAO are not included in the RDPs. The analysis also indicates that the main efforts of the RDPs are devoted to preserving local cattle and sheep breeds. As concerns the financial aspects of livestock biodiversity measures, we note that the payments offered to farmers do not take into account the different probabilities of extinction associated with each breed in each country. Furthermore, we observe that payments do not meet all of the relevant criteria stated in the EEC Regulations. In many cases, we observe that, in spite of the Union's support to farmers, it still remains unprofitable to rear local breeds. These anomalies suggest the need for a revision of the current EU supporting measures related to the conservation of livestock biodiversity. Finally, by using FAO indicators on the current population size of each breed, we estimate the level of expected public expenditure necessary to ensure the upgrading of breeds from their ‘at-risk’ status to a ‘not-at-risk’ status during the period 2000–2006.Item Putting the economic analysis of animal genetic resources into practice(Book Chapter, 2005) Drucker, Adam G.; Anderson, S.Item Economic valuation of animal genetic resources: importance and application(Book Chapter, 2003) Drucker, Adam G.Item The economics of farm animal genetic resource conservation and sustainable use: why is it important and what have we learned?(Report, 2004-03) Drucker, Adam G.Item The economic valuation of farm animal genetic resources: a survey of available methods(Journal Article, 2001-01) Drucker, Adam G.; Gómez, V.; Anderson, S.Genetic erosion of domestic animal diversity has placed 30% of the world's breeds at risk of extinction, often as a result of government policy/programmes. Conservation and sustainable development of animal genetic resources (AnGR) require a broad focus that includes the many ‘adaptive’ breeds that survive well in the low external input agriculture typical of developing countries. Environmental economic valuation methodologies have an important role to play in supporting decisions regarding which breeds should be conserved and how this should be done. However, AnGR, in general, and valuation methods in particular, have received very little attention. This paper provides a survey of the methods available for the valuation of AnGR and the steps that must be taken in order to test some of the more promising methodologies in practice.