India Environment Portal Knowledge for change

About us Contact us
downtoearth-subscribe

Browse by subjects

UNITED NATIONS

The recently published World Watch List for Domestic Animal Diversity estimates that every week the world loses two of its valuable domestic breeds. The document, issued by Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is the result of 10 years of data collection in 170 countries worldwide covering 6,500 breeds of domesticated mammals and birds.

Says Keith Hammond, senior officer of FAOs Animal Genetic Resources Group, "New findings show that domestic animal breeds continue to be in danger. One-third of these are currently facing extinction.'

The importance of domestic farm animals can be gauged from the fact that they provide 30-40 per cent of the agricultural sector's global economic value. One-third of the global population depends at least partly on farm animals for their livelihoods. The report says that meat, milk and egg production will need to double over the next 20 years to feed the growing population.

Sadly, in the past 100 years, a 1,000 breeds have been lost. The FAO Global Databank for Farm Animal Genetic Resources says that 740 breeds are recorded as extinct and 1,335 are tottering on the brink. So far as bird breeds are concerned, the total percentage of threatened breeds rose from 51 per cent in 1995 to 62 per cent in 1999.

Painting a grim picture of the present, the study also warns that within the next two decades more than 2,000 domestic animal breeds could be lost if timely action is not taken to save them.

Related Content