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