Development of a National Report on Animal Genetic Resources, the
NetherlandsExperiences and outcomes
Start follow-up actions within Europe
S.J. Hiemstra (NC-Netherlands)Caïro, 30 August 2002
• The process• Characteristics of Dutch case• Dutch policy priorities• International priorities• Suggestions for follow-up
The process
• September 01 - September 02• National Consultative Committee:
– chair: Ministry of Agriculture– secretary/projectleader: NC-Neth– 10 stake-holders
(industry, government, NGO)
• Workshop 50 persons: april 2002
The processGood:• involvement of NCC-stakeholders• workshop: enthousiasm invitated stakeholders• discussion on overall picture AnGR
Points for attention:• approvement within Ministry: filter + time-
consuming• how to keep stake holders involved• usefull guidelines, but do not use too strict• difficult synthesis of many and different info
Introduction
• Report is new starting point for policy AnGR• Limited to important farm animal species
(cattle, pigs, poultry, sheep, goats, horses)• Primary and secundary functions of farm
animals• Balance between rare breeds/lines/varieties
and widely used breeds/lines/varieties
Animal production in the Netherlands• major part of animal products is exported
• intensification and economies of scale
• further expansion limited by government
• increasing interest in ‘new’ functions of farm animals
State of use of domestic animal diversity• increasing proportion of food is produced
by decreasing number of breeds• international market for genetic resources• increasing uniformity in global animal
production systems• decreasing number of (inter)national
breeding firms• genetic erosion and endangered breeds
Breeds and lines with major contribution to food production, and with breeding population in the NetherlandsDairy cattleHolstein FriesianMeuse Rhine YsselDutch Friesian Black and White
Beef cattleFrentch Italian and Belgian breeds
BroilersWhite Plymouth Rock linesWhite Cornish lines
Laying hensWhite Leghorn linesRhode Island Red lines
SheepTexelSwifterZeeland and Friesian dairy sheep
Dairy goatsDutch dairy goat
PigsGreat Yorkshire linesDutch Landrace lines
State of conservation
– Conservation by development and use• policies of breeding organisations/certification• genetic risk management
– In situ conservation programmes• Rare Breed Foundation• EU/national subsidies for rare breeds• ‘New functions’ of old breeds
– Ex situ conservation programmes• Gene bank / Gene Bank Foundation
Numbers of Dutch rare breeds and their status (SZH and ID-Lelystad, 2002)
Cattle
Horse
Goat
Sheep
Poultry
Duck
Rabbit
Goose
Pigeon
Critical, decliningCritical, stableCritical, growing
1 3 21
1 221
Endangered, decliningEndangered, stableEndangered, growing 2
1
141
234
114
26
Vulnerable, decliningVulnerable, stableVulnerable, growing
12
11 1
34
131
21
Gene bank collections (2002)
CattleGroningen White Headed cattleDeep Red cattleFriesian Red cattleColourside White Back cattleDutch Belted cattleDutch Friesian cattleMeuse Rhine Yssel cattleHolstein Friesian cattle
SheepDrente heath sheepSchoonebeek sheepMergelland sheepKempen heath sheepVeluwe heath sheep
HorsesGelderland horseDutch Draught horseGroningen horseKWPN riding horse
PigsOver 15 breeding lines of Dutch breedingorganisations
PoultryWelsummerBarnevelderDrente FowlFriesian FowlNorth Holland Blue FowlTwente Fowl
Changing demands
“Lessons from the past”/Evaluation of– EU policy– Dutch policy on genetic resources– Policy for ex situ conservaton– Policy for in situ conservation– Veterinary policy– Other functions / policy
nature/landscape– Breeding programmes and practices
Future demands and trends– Global developments– European developments– Restucturing Dutch animal production
(Robust) Trends– globalisation and regionalisation– diversification and more added value– worldwide increase in demand animal product– differentiation production systems/methods– expansion of functions for farm animals– attention to resistance and natural behaviour
(welfare)
State of national capacities
• Including government, research, education, private sector, NGO’s
• Make more and better use of available knowledge !
• Improve cooperation between government, private sector, NGO’s and research !
• Limited capacity for ‘in situ’ + ‘ex situ’• Knowledge transfer and public education• International cooperation
National prioritiesBasic principles• Secure the existing genetic diversity
(efficient and effective)• Primarily responsibility for Dutch diversity
and international “co-responsibility”• Joint responsibility public-private-NGO’s• Ex situ conservation important to conserve
genes• Realise that international dimension has
substantial influence on conservation results
Policy priorities
Start: 2002 Dutch policy document:Sources of Existence: Conservation and
the sustainable use of genetic diversity
• measures towards conservation• promoting sustainable application
possibilities• cooperation towards fair benefit sharing
Policy priorities (1)
• Establishment of Platform Genetic Resources
• Coordinating Veterinary and biodiversity policies
• Stimulating in situ conservation of rare breedsincl. nature and landscape management
Policy priorities (2)
• Stimulating Ex Situ Conservation (Gene Bank)
• Monitoring and characterisation
• Development of knowledge and technology
• Transparancy in breeding policies
• Valuation of genetic diversity
• Raising awareness
• Stimulating desirable production systems
Policy priorities (3)
International/ European collaborationSuggestions for cooperation:• regional analysis of SoW country reports• ‘in situ’ conservation and breed
development• gene bank development• characterisation and valuation of breeds• improve veterinary policies (and other)• research and technology development
In situ conservation and breed development
• Policy and technical level• Regional (cross-border) breed- and
market-development• Exchange of experiences/knowledge and
information on ‘in situ management’• Characterisation and valuation• Further development of criteria for
(subsidy for) rare breeds
Ex situ conservation (Gene Bank)• Organisational/management aspects • Legal aspects: ownership and access to
collections• Material transfer protocols/agreements• Intake procedures and material aquisition
agreement• Exchange knowledge and experiences• Optimization cryo-conservation protocols
and maximizing diversity with minimum intake.
• Veterinary aspects
Veterinary policy
• Exceptions in eradication programmes• Veterinary status of gene bank material• (Inter)national exchange and use of
valuable genetic material with lower veterinary status
• Regional or international distribution• Rescue plan (international) in case of
emergencies