It all started in 2016 and after many productive deliberations, in October 2020 at the 27^th session of the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) the Sub-Committee on Livestock was established. 

The Sub-Committee is FAO’s only dedicated global technical advisory committee on livestock. The Sub-Committee was established with a mandate to discuss and build consensus on issues and priorities of Member Nations related to the livestock sector. It will advise COAG, and through it, the FAO Council and Conference, on technical and policy issues. 

The Sub-Committee will increase transparency and improve the involvement of Members and other stakeholders in FAO's work, further optimizing the livestock sector’s contribution to poverty alleviation, food security and nutrition and consequently sustainable livelihoods and the achievement of the SDGs.

Better Nutrition along with Better Production, a Better Environment and a Better Life, are guiding FAO's Strategic Framework 2022-31 and the work on sustainable livestock systems is at the interface of the four betters, playing an important role in achieving each of these aspirations. 

During the first session, delegates will discuss substantive items related to the contribution of livestock to food security, sustainable agrifood systems, nutrition and healthy diets. The discussion will allow FAO Members to consider the impact of livestock policies, programmes and legislative frameworks on nutrition outcomes and adequately consider terrestrial animal source food and specific nutrient requirements during the life course of humans. 

The session will also discuss good practices to sustainably enhance the productivity of small-scale livestock producers, integrating the livestock sector into national climate actions by considering its adaptation and resilience to climate change, and contribution to biodiversity and ecosystem services. 

The discussion will be highlighting some of the key areas of FAO’s work interlinked with livestock, such as animal health and welfare with dedicated discussions on strengthening national coordinated capacities to manage risks of animal diseases and emerging zoonoses through the One Health approach, progress towards the eradication of Peste des Petits Ruminants and alternative feed practices to promote responsible use of antimicrobials. 

Other matters will witness discussions on alignment of FAO's work on livestock to the Strategic Framework 2022-31, holistic and evidence-based reporting on the livestock sector and agree on a multi-year programme of work for the Sub-Committee. 

QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General, will open the first session of the COAG Sub-Committee on Livestock.

The session will be conducted in virtual modality from 16—18 March 2022. It will bring together delegations from 131 Member Nations, the European Union and observers from United Nations and specialized agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations.

Given the high importance of the discussions in current times, and its support for a better future of livestock sector and countries, we encourage active participation and engagement from the delegations.

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