The wise management of the world’s agricultural biodiversity is becoming an ever greater challenge for the international community.

The livestock sector in particular is undergoing dramatic changes as large-scale production expands in response to surging demand for meat, milk and eggs. At the same time, for hundreds of millions of poor rural households, livestock remain a key asset, often meeting multiple objectives, and enabling livelihoods to be built in some of the world’s harshest environments.

Today, many countries are losing these genetic resources, which are critical for both food security and sustainable development.

Strenuous efforts to understand, prioritize and protect the world’s animal genetic resources for food and agriculture are required. Sustainable patterns of utilization must be established and an agreed international framework for the management of these resources is crucial.