LPP is pleased with the results of the 7th Session of the ITWG-AnGR, as it made many important recommendations to FAO, with respect to looking into community protocols, developing indicators for livestock sector sustainability and the “need to further promote and ensure better market access for the products of locally adapted breeds”. Read a small blog-post on the subject here and listen to audio messages about the importance of local breeds by some of the National Coordinators for animal genetic resources and LPP’s Ilse Köhler-Rollefson.

The 7th session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources (ITWG-AnGR) is meeting at FAO in Rome from 24-26th October. Agenda-items include the preparation of the second report on the state of the world’s animal genetic resources, the role of small-scale livestock keepers, and Access and Benefit-Sharing (ABS). A special side-event took place on 24th on the subject of Biocultural Community Protocols and ABS which was hosted by the Dutch and the Brasilian governments. The LPP/LIFE Network presentation can be downloaded here. The others should become available soon.

A press release by FAO emphasizes that indigenous breeds are crucial for food security and “small-scale livestock keepers” are a separate agenda-item!

Pastoralists from all over India have started assembling here in the south Indian metropolis of Hyderabad to make their voices heard and get their contribution to biodiversity conservation recognised during the 11th Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).They are especially concerned about the problems they encounter in getting their forest rights recognised. A statement signed onto by many of these groups can be downloaded here.
In a special side-event organised by LPP and the LIFE Network to be held on 12th October, pastoralists and supporting researchers will present new results about the way livestock keepers utilize bio-diverse vegetation to contribute to food security, especially of the poor. The side-event is entitled Caravans of Biodiversity and will take place in the lunch break.