Thank you Chair.
I am pleased to present the Report of the Second Session of the Inter-governmental Technical Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources, which met on 4-6 September 2000 in Rome Italy. The Report is available to the Commission as document: CGRFA-9/02/3.
The meeting was well represented by Members of the Working Group and 33 Observers from Country Members of the Commission. Representatives of United Nations and Specialised Agencies, and Observers from Non-governmental Organisations also joined us. An encouraging message from the Executive Secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity was sent to us and is contained in the Appendix of the Report.
Our meeting was conducted in a very constructive and positive spirit, which resulted in the Working Group reaching agreement on a number of important issues to advance the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Animal Genetic Resources, which are critical resources for agriculture, food security, and rural development.
Much of the discussion during our second Session was focused on the process for the preparation of the First Report on State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources, but we also addressed other aspects of the Global Strategy for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources.
Before introducing our main recommendations I would like to highlight some key observations of the Working Group, documented in paragraphs 6-35 of its report, which provide the background to our recommendations.
Mr Chairman, I would like to draw to the attention of the Commission some of our main recommendations.
The Commission will note that the Working Group agreed to an extremely ambitious timeline for producing the First Report on the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources. It included preparation of Country Reports by the end of 2001 and synthesis of Country Reports with an Interim Report referred to as the Strategic Priorities Report to be ready in 2003, and finally completion of the State of the World Report in 2005.
Our ambitious approach was adopted to underline the importance of the First Report on the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources, which will provide a basis for improved decision making necessary to ensure the sustainable use of Animal Genetic Resources and prevent their continuing unacceptable rapid erosion. In agreeing to this ambitious timeline, the Working Group realised that the mobilisation of financial and other resources was essential to meet this timeline. It appears that we will not achieve our schedule, and that we are now approximately one year behind what the Working Group agreed to in 2000. It will therefore be important for the Commission to consider a revised schedule for completing all steps of the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources process during this Session.
Chair, the Working Group recommended that Animal Genetic Resources continue to be a priority area in the FAO Programme of Work and Budget and also should be supported with extra-budgetary resources, especially to assist countries to prepare their Country Reports. I have been informed that FAO received considerable donor support to complement its own significant contributions from the Regular Programme, and it is clear that donor support must continue to ensure timely completion of the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources process.
The Working Group also underlined the need to enhance dialog with international organisations and involve all stakeholders both in the preparation of the First Report and in the further development of the Global Strategy; and to increase public understanding and promote better media coverage of animal genetic resources issues.
Chair, the Working Group indicated that it should meet again in order to provide advice to the Commission on the progress in the preparation of the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources. The Working Group could advise the Commission on the final content and form of the First Report, and could be requested to provide advice to the Secretariat on the preparation of the Strategic Priorities Report, which should be ready for consideration by the Commission in 2004.
Chair, the Commission will note that the Working Group made a number of recommendations regarding the further development of other aspects of the Global Strategy for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources. Our recommendations call for, inter alia enhanced effort by the FAO to advance the sustainable use of Animal Genetic Resources and to address the unacceptable erosion of these resources, including establishment of an early warning and emergency response mechanism.
The Working Group underlined the need to collect and share existing information on Animal Genetic Resources and supported further development of DAD-IS in this respect.
The Commission’s advice on priorities for these recommendations is desirable.
Chair, in closing I would like to note that the Working Group has stressed that the preparation of the country-driven First Report on the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources and the Strategic Priorities Report will establish the foundation for the better management of Animal Genetic Resources.
The concept of Priorities Action Report was approved by the Working Group to respond to the rapid erosion of Animal Genetic Resources and to promote better use of these resources; to enable early identification of the most urgent actions and initiate their implementation before the final First Report will be completed and formally adopted, which is now scheduled for completion in 2006.
Mr Chairman, as indicated by the Working Group, and as I have stressed in my report, additional donor support is necessary to complete the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources Report. It is extremely important that the Commission during this Session make a strong plea to the donor community to secure extra-budgetary resources necessary to complement the excellent contributions of FAO.
In closing I would like to congratulate FAO for their efforts to initiate the State of the World’s-Animal Genetic Resources process and for the very successful training operation, which will facilitate preparation of Country Reports in all regions.
Thank you for this opportunity to present the finding of the Second Session of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Animal Genetic Resources.
