“Biocultural Community Protocols” – an approach for livestock keeping communities to put on record their and traditional knowledge in stewarding biological diversity. They are a legal tool originally conceived by the NGO Natural Justice in response to the need for fair and equitable benefit-sharing agreements under the CBD. The first BCPs were pioneered by communities associated with the LIFE Network for community-based conservation of livestock biodiversity and the approach is receiving intense interest from many sides.

Current Project

• Asian Regional Initiative on BCPs

Publications

• Biocultural Community Protocols for Livestock Keepers. LPPS, 2010.
• Livestock Keepers. Guardians of biodiversity. FAO Animal Production and Health Paper 167.
• Keepers of Genes. Indian Pastoralists and their Livestock Breeds. LPPS
• Indigenous Breeds, Local Communities. Documenting Animal Breeds and Breeding from a Community Perspective

As local livestock breeds cannot compete in quantity with industrial livestock systems, it makes sense to focus on their unique qualitative aspects – as a means of conservation and source of livelihoods. LPP organised the first write-shop on this topic and the result was subsequently published by FAO in its Animal production and Health series. We also support our partner Lokhit Pashu-Palak Sansthan in efforts to diversify the product range of the dromedary camel in India.

Current project: “Ark project”

Publication

• Adding value to livestock diversity. Marketing to promote local breeds and improve livelihoods. FAO Animal production and Health Paper 168. LPP, IUCN&FAO.

Livestock Keepers’ Rights are a concept developed by civil society through a series of grassroots consultations with indigenous livestock keeping communities during the “Interlaken process” during the “Interlaken process” that led to the Global Plan of Action on Animal Genetic Resources. Initially only advocated for by a group of non-government organizations, livestock keepers, pastoralist associations and scientists who support community-based conservation of local breeds, while governments resisted. But as a consequence of the recently concluded Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit-Sharing, there is now increased interest even among governments in addressing Livestock Keepers’ Rights.

Current Project
Lobbying and Capacity-building for the Implementation of International Legal Frameworks Relating to Biodiversity Conserving Livestock Keepers

Publications

• Livestock Keepers’ Rights: The State of Discussion. Animal Genetic Resources: 47, 1–5. 2010.