Progress in the implementation of the Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources in individual countries is monitored using two types of indicator:

• “Resource indicators” are used to describe the state of animal genetic diversity itself and therefore the impact of the Global Plan of Action.
•  “Process indicators” are used to describe the extent to which the actions set out in the Global Plan of Action have been implemented.

Detailed information on the indicators is provided in the document Targets and indicators for animal genetic resources.

In 2013, the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture agreed to the use of the following set of resource indicators:

• the number of locally adapted breeds;
• the proportion of the total population accounted for by locally adapted and exotic breeds; and
• the number of breeds classified as at risk, not at risk and unknown.

These indicators can be calculated at national, regional and global levels for a set of the most economically important livestock species using data entered by countries into the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS). Depending on the availability of data, they will be included in future status and trends reports on animal genetic resources (previous reports: 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016).

The resource indicators were developed by FAO as part of the Biodiversity Indicators Partnership to serve as indicators of the “genetic diversity of terrestrial domesticated animals” under the CBD headline indicator “Trends in genetic diversity of terrestrial domesticated animals, cultivated plants, and fish species of major socioeconomic importance