2.5.1.b - Number of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured | SDG Indicators Data Portal | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

Indicator 2.5.1.b - Number of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture secured in medium or long term conservation facilities

The conservation of animal genetic resources for food and agriculture in medium or long term conservation facilities (ex situ in genebanks) represents the most trusted means of conserving genetic resources worldwide. This indicator will measure progress towards Target 2.5.

Target 2.5

By 2020, maintain the genetic diversity of seeds, cultivated plants and farmed and domesticated animals and their related wild species, including through soundly managed and diversified seed and plant banks at the national, regional and international levels, and promote access to and fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge, as internationally agreed.

Indicator 2.5.1b: Progress Assessment

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Impact

The measure of trends in ex situ conserved materials provides an overall assessment of the extent to which we are managing to maintain and/or increase the total genetic diversity available for future use and thus protect it from any permanent loss of genetic diversity which may occur on-farm and in the natural habitat.

This information is key to support the livelihood of the world's population with sufficient, diverse and nutritious diets long into the future.

Key results

Although recent years have seen progress in the preservation of the genetic diversity of both local and transboundary breeds, an acceleration of efforts is essential to adequately conserve their genetic diversity.

The diversity of farmed and domesticated animals is mainly maintained through two complementary approaches, in vivo in situ and in vitro ex situ conservation, data which need to be interpreted together to understand the current status and progress needed on this matter. In vivo in-situ refers to living animals kept and used in the livestock production system. If the number of living animals in a population falls below certain thresholds, they are considered to be at risk of extinction. Livestock keepers and governments must take action to maintain populations and to prevent breeds’ extinction.

For in vitro ex situ conservation, the number of local and transboundary breeds that have sufficient material is alarmingly low, with only 287 out of 7 688 local breeds, and 175 out of 1 115 transboundary breeds in 2022.

Given that the number of endangered breeds is unlikely to decrease significantly in the near future, countries need to strengthen efforts to store genetic material in sufficient quantities. As of 2023, the number of local and transboundary breeds for which sufficient material is stored is alarmingly low. In North America and Europe, sufficient material is reported for 4.54 percent of local breeds (166 of 3 649 local breeds), and 14.5 percent of transboundary breeds (108 out of 744). This is the case for only 3.42 percent of local breeds (40 out of 1 168) and 12.6 percent (29 of 231) of transboundary breeds in Eastern and South-eastern Asia; and for 2 percent (16 of 805) of local and 9.2 percent (34 of 370) of transboundary breeds in sub-Saharan Africa.