The finalization of The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the upcoming International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, to be held in September this year in Interlaken, Switzerland, make 2007 an important year for intergovernmental policy-making in the area of animal genetic resources.

The Interlaken Conference will mark a historic opportunity for the international community to make strategic choices on the future management of animal genetic resources, to reach agreement on how best to address priorities for the sustainable use, development and conservation of animal genetic resources, and to raise awareness and appreciation of the various stakeholders and policy makers vis-à-vis the significance of such genetic resources.

The preparation of the Interlaken Conference calls for collaboration at national, regional and international levels, among a broad range of stakeholders, including policy-makers, scientists, non-governmental organizations, breeders and livestock keepers