Country Report
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Country report supporting the preparation of The Second Report on the State of the World's Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, including sector-specific data contributing to The State of the World's Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture - 2013 - Country: United Kingdom I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Please provide an executive summary (not more than two pages) that will allow national and international stakeholders to gain a quick overview of the content of the country report. The executive summary should contain information on: • key trends and driving forces affecting animal genetic resources management in your country; • strengths, weaknesses and gaps in capacity to manage animal genetic resources in your country; • key constraints and challenges with respect to animal genetic resources management in your country; • priorities and strategic directions for future action (focusing particularly on the next ten years). Key trends and driving forces affecting animal genetic resources management in your country Agriculture is crucial to the UK economy, food production and food security and it is central to our way of life. Agriculture forms an integral part of the rural infrastructure, is a significant employer particularly in rural areas and has a vital role in conserving biodiversity and the natural environment. Agriculture accounts for 70% of total land use within the UK. In 2011, the total area of land on agricultural holdings in the UK was 17.2 million hectares. Around 72% of this is grassland used for grazing livestock and the remainder is used to grow crops. Over 7 million hectares of farmland in the UK are managed under agri-environment schemes, which incentivise farmers to adopt land management and farm practices that are beneficial to the environment. UK agriculture's contribution to the national economy was estimated at £7.1 billion in 2010. By value, it provides us with around 60% of our food. The food and drink industry was estimated to contribute £24.6 billion to the national economy in 2010 - and is the dominant form of land use. Agriculture provided direct employment to 476,000 people (including farmers and spouses) in 2011. Strengths, weaknesses and gaps in capacity to manage animal genetic resources in your country The UK has firm capacity to support and manage its animal genetic resources and a National Action Plan helps to guide this support. The UK has fully functional NFP for AnGR as well as an Expert Committee for the conservation and sustainable use of FAnGR (see http://www.defra.gov.uk/fangr/). There are strong links between the NFP, FAnGR stakeholders and the Expert Committee and we use these links frequently on FAnGR business. Additionally there is a mature system of stakeholder bodies (national Breed Societies and species organisations), industry platforms and support networks funded by levy and the taxpayer that help unify the various sectors to manage our genetic resources sensibly. Our main weakness is the absence of an improved, automated, cost effective FAnGR database supporting more regular Page 1 of 56 monitoring of UK FAnGR (even though we maintain EFABIS and another genetic resources website). We hope to have the improved database operating shortly. Key constraints and challenges with respect to animal genetic resources management in your country Key constraints and challenges include the availability of national and international funding and resources and recognition of FAnGR in UK policies and strategies - especially so in respect of poultry genetic resources. Priorities and strategic directions for future action (focusing particularly on the next ten years) The UK believes that FAnGR has a key role in helping to address key future challenges for agriculture. These include: • Global population growth - and feeding the future population sustainably • Living with Climate change • Scarcity of resources for agriculture (including genetic resources diversity, energy, water and minerals) • Stronger focus on sustainable use of resources To address these challenges we expect to focus on the following activities: • Providing expert advice where needed (for example on EU proposals on zootechnical matters, EU proposals on cloning, EU proposals on its future Genetic Resources programme and input into consultations etc); • Development and implementation of an improved FAnGR monitoring system; • Advising on best practice in integrated in situ and ex situ conservation strategies, including identifying current gaps, and incentives to address these which do not deter private involvement; • Continuing work to raise the awareness of FAnGR; • Networking and engagement in the appropriate forums to represent UK FAnGR interests • Continuing to press for FAnGR to be integrated into all relevant UK and international policies and programmes; • Identifying research needs and supporting further research into the conservation, sustainable use and general importance of FAnGR; • Horizon scanning and looking at new technologies such as reproductive technologies, genetic modification, genome editing, genomic selection, biobanking, cryopreservation, animal and animal product identification/traceability/ authenticity. II. DATA FOR UPDATING THE PARTS AND SECTIONS OF THE STATE OF THE WORLD'S ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE FLOWS OF ANIMAL GENETIC RESOURCES 1. Studies of gene flow in animal genetic resources have generally concluded that most gene flow occurs either between developed countries or from developed countries to developing countries. Does this correspond to the pattern of gene flow into and out of your country? For developed countries, exceptions to the usual pattern would include significant imports of genetic resources from developing countries. For developing countries, exceptions would include significant exports of genetic resources to developed countries, and/or significant imports and/or exports of genetic resources to/from other developing countries. yes no yes but with some significant exceptions 1.1. If you answer “no” or “yes but with some significant exceptions”, please provide further details. Please include information on: which species are exceptions and which regions of the world are the sources and/or destinations of the respective genetic material. 2. Have there been any significant changes in patterns of geneflow in and out of your country in the last ten years? yes no Page 2 of 56 2.1. If yes, please indicate whether this view is based on quantified data (e.g. import and export statistics collected by the government). yes no 2.2. If yes, please provide references (preferably including web links) (if relevant, indicate which types of animal genetic resources are covered). Data is extractable from the UK system but is not readily available on a public website. 2.3. Please also describe the changes, indicating the species involved, the direction of the changes, and the regions of the world to and from which the patterns of imports and exports have changed. Large increase in export of cattle pig and poultry genetics to Russian Federation and China. 3. Please describe how the patterns of geneflow described under Questions 1 and 2 affect animal genetic resources and their management in your country. Note: Please answer this question even if the pattern of geneflow into and out of your country corresponds to the “usual” pattern described in the first sentence of Question 1 and/or has not changed significantly in the last ten years. These commercial operations fund R&D which enable mainstream AnGR to be utilised sustainably and which also provide techniques applicable to the conservation of breeds at risk. LIVESTOCK SECTOR TRENDS 4. Please indicate the extent to which the following trends or drivers of change have affected or are predicted to affect animal genetic resources and their management in your country and describe these effects. Note: Relevant impacts on animal genetic resources and their management might include, for example, changes in the type of animal genetic resources kept (e.g. different breeds or species), changes in the uses to which animal genetic resources are put, changes in the geographical distribution of different types of animal genetic resources, increases or decreases in the number of breeds at risk of extinction, changes in the objectives of breeding programmes, changes in the number or type of conservation programmes being implemented, etc. In the text sections, please briefly describe the changes. If possible, provide some concrete examples of the challenges or opportunities presented by the respective drivers and the actions taken to address these challenges or opportunities. If relevant, you may also indicate why a given driver is not affecting animal genetic resources and their management in your country. For a general discussion of drivers of change, please see The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (Part 2, Section A) (http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a1250e/a1250e00.htm). Drivers of change Impact on Future Describe the effects on animal genetic resources animal impact on and their management genetic animal resources and genetic their resources management and their over last ten management years (predicted for the next ten years) Changing demand for livestock medium medium neutral products (quantity) Changing demand for livestock positive products (quality) high high Changes in marketing positive in specialist marketing and negative in medium medium infrastructure and access mainstream Changes in retailing