LIFE is a group of organizations and individuals who promote community-based conservation and development of indigenous livestock breeds and species.

Domestic animal diversity is one of the most neglected aspects of biodiversity. It is also one of the most threatened.

According to FAO, about 30% of the world’s 5000 or so recognized livestock and poultry breeds are in danger of extinction. In the South, these breeds are vested with traditional farming and pastoral communities who manage them according to their indigenous knowledge and in tune with local ecological constraints. For them, local breeds are a lifeline. They produce a wide range of products, and need relatively low inputs of fodder, management and health care. They are ecologically sustainable, and need less work from women than “improved” breeds.

But economic forces of globalisation as well as political backing for crossbreeding with exotic breeds are among the forces driving an accelerated process of erosion.

Conservation of the remaining domestic animal diversity is mandated by the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). To achieve this goal requires a wide range of policy changes as well as specific initiatives, but especially the active involvement of the farming and pastoral communities, that have nurtured local livestock breeds through their IK, and institutions. These breeds will remain indispensable in the future as well.

Aims

LIFE seeks to conserve domestic animal diversity by building on farmers’ and pastoralists’ indigenous knowledge and institutions, within the context of local and regional development.

Our initiative aims to achieve the following:

• Appreciation of the value of local livestock for ecologically sustainable development and a reorientation from crossbreeding with exotic breeds to genetic improvement by selection
• Recognition of the essential role of farmers and pastoralists in safe-guarding domestic animal diversity
• Promotion of the concept of “endogenous livestock development” that is based on local knowledge, institutions, animal and fodder resources
• Consideration of local livestock in land use and regional development planning and creation of positive marketing environments for its products
• Intellectual property protection for farming and pastoral societies that have created unique breeds

Activities

LIFE aims to support and foster the following activities:

• Study and documentation of indigenous knowledge relating to livestock breeding and breeds
• Case-studies of livestock breeds that are threatened and the social, economic, and political factors involved
• Information exchange between NGOs, pastoralists and farmers associations, scientific institutions, policy makers and others through workshops and a mailing list
• Capacity building of NGOs in the conservation and development of indigenous livestock breeds
• Analysis of the macro-economic and political factors driving the process of livestock genetic resource erosion
• Lobbying for more participatory orientation of the research concepts of the formal sector organizations
• Establishment of a network of organizations and individuals for community-based conservation of livestock breeds

Participation

LIFE can only be successful if it meets the response of like-minded organisations and individuals. We are especially interested in interaction, information exchange and partnerships with NGOs working in rural development and with pastoralist organisations, who share our vision of indigenous livestock development. But we also seek the cooperation with research institutions, breeders and practitioners, policy makers and donor agencies.
Contact us for more detailed information and request our concept note and research papers or browse to the other information available via this website.

LIFE logo and banner illustration by Shariq Parvez