The FAO just published on-line a new study in its Animal Production and Health Paper series that analyses the role of women in managing livestock diversity.  It concludes that “women, as the main users of locally adapted livestock breeds, play a major role in managing animal genetic resources and thereby conserving them. They also make deliberate breeding decisions, generally preferring animals that are easy to manage and disease resistant and that therefore do not increase their workload.” A number of case-studies, many of them from South India, are presented.

The latest edition of the Participatory Learning and Action Newsletter (PLA 65) is dedicated to the exploration of community protocols, rights and consent. It also contains an article by members of the LIFE Network in which they summarize their experiences with Biocultural Protocols for livestock keepers.

Shepherds from several countries in Europe are congregating at the Documenta in Kassel in the evening of June 23rd  with the goal of establishing a European Shepherds Network. The meeting is supported by LPP.

Shepherd Assembly at the Documenta

Schäfertreffen bei der Documenta