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Library The potential benefits and challenges of agricultural animal biotechnology to pastoralists

The potential benefits and challenges of agricultural animal biotechnology to pastoralists

The potential benefits and challenges of agricultural animal biotechnology to pastoralists

Resource information

Date of publication
December 2006
Resource Language
ISBN / Resource ID
handle:10568/5557
License of the resource

The livelihoods of pastoralists revolve around their indigenous livestock. Combining high

production with disease resistance using genetic engineering is a biotechnological intervention

hailed by some as a promising avenue to mitigate food insecurity and poverty. Considerable

human and financial resources have already been devoted to exploring this option. However, the

challenges are enormous. It is unlikely that such livestock would survive in the harsh ecosystems

where pastoralists live and that it would meet their diverse and breed specific social and economic

requirements. Furthermore, the questions of intellectual property rights over genetically engineered

livestock need to be resolved otherwise there is the danger of the genetic traits of indigenous

livestock being pirated by industrial breeders. The loss of biodiversity and of pastoralist livelihoods

might also be possible consequences. Instead of genetically engineered livestock, pastoralists

need recognition of their livestock breeds and management skills, the right to their own breeding

decisions and improved services to enhance their livelihood and support their breeds.

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Authors and Publishers

Author(s), editor(s), contributor(s)

Loquang, T.M.
Köehler-Rollefson, I.
TSAP and ILRI

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