Shaping the future of sustainable animal breeding in European farming
30/05/2023
Senior Animal Production Officer at FAO, Badi Besbes delivered a keynote speech on sustainable food systems and animal farming at the Annual General Meeting of the European Forum of Animal Farm Animal Breeders (EFFAB) and the Farm Animal Breeding and Reproduction Technology Platform (FABRE TP).
In the face of pressing challenges like climate change and unsustainable use of natural resources, transformation of global agrifood systems is required to ensure food security and nutrition for all, while reducing the environmental footprint.
Animal production faces additional challenges due to increasing public focus on specific issues, such as environmental impacts, and health and animal welfare, rather than having a holistic view that captures both the benefits and trade-offs comprehensively and the diversity of livestock production systems worldwide.
Animal breeding plays a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact of animal farming, thereby mitigating its effect on climate change and biodiversity. It is also vital for creating a sustainable and resilient livestock sector both in Europe and globally.
Badi Besbes emphasized that livestock production is not only essential for producing nutritious food, but also plays a key role in economic growth and employment, poverty reduction, women’s empowerment and gender equality, conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem functionality, supporting crop production, adapting to climate change, increasing resilience, and providing climate-friendly agricultural solutions.
Dr Besbes’ presentation was followed by a panel discussion, for which the debate was centered around the role of animal breeders in developing new generations of farmed animals integrating the concept of sustainable breeding and how this evolution can improve the resilience and sustainability of agrifood systems.
Panelists included Alexander Doring, Secretary General of FEFAC, Frank O’Mara, Director of TEAGASC and President of Animal Task Force, Inês Ajuda, Programme Leader for Farm Animal Welfare at Eurogroup for Animals, David Bassett, Secretary General of EATiP, Craig Lewis, Chairman of EFFAB and Francisco Revriego Gordejo, Head of Unit for Animal Health at the Directorate-General on Health and Food Safety, European Commission.
The event was concluded with the launch of the Code EFABAR 2023, a code of good practices for responsible animal breeding.
You can read more on FAO’s work on sustainable animal production and health here and on the animal genetics here.
In the face of pressing challenges like climate change and unsustainable use of natural resources, transformation of global agrifood systems is required to ensure food security and nutrition for all, while reducing the environmental footprint.
Animal production faces additional challenges due to increasing public focus on specific issues, such as environmental impacts, and health and animal welfare, rather than having a holistic view that captures both the benefits and trade-offs comprehensively and the diversity of livestock production systems worldwide.
Animal breeding plays a crucial role in reducing the environmental impact of animal farming, thereby mitigating its effect on climate change and biodiversity. It is also vital for creating a sustainable and resilient livestock sector both in Europe and globally.
Badi Besbes emphasized that livestock production is not only essential for producing nutritious food, but also plays a key role in economic growth and employment, poverty reduction, women’s empowerment and gender equality, conserving biodiversity and maintaining ecosystem functionality, supporting crop production, adapting to climate change, increasing resilience, and providing climate-friendly agricultural solutions.
Dr Besbes’ presentation was followed by a panel discussion, for which the debate was centered around the role of animal breeders in developing new generations of farmed animals integrating the concept of sustainable breeding and how this evolution can improve the resilience and sustainability of agrifood systems.
Panelists included Alexander Doring, Secretary General of FEFAC, Frank O’Mara, Director of TEAGASC and President of Animal Task Force, Inês Ajuda, Programme Leader for Farm Animal Welfare at Eurogroup for Animals, David Bassett, Secretary General of EATiP, Craig Lewis, Chairman of EFFAB and Francisco Revriego Gordejo, Head of Unit for Animal Health at the Directorate-General on Health and Food Safety, European Commission.
The event was concluded with the launch of the Code EFABAR 2023, a code of good practices for responsible animal breeding.
You can read more on FAO’s work on sustainable animal production and health here and on the animal genetics here.