Background to ILCA's AGR characterisation project, project objectives and agenda for the research planning workshop

Abstract

Discusses the objectives of the ILCA's Animal Genetic Resources Characterisation Project: characterise indigenous breeds in terms of physical characteristics, productive parameters and adaptive characteristics, including a description of environmental conditions under which performance has been measured; identify the main problems preventing utilisation and improvement of animal genetic resources at national and regional levels and determine how these problems may be solved, and how existing national and regional organisations may be strengthened for this purpose; develop inventories of animal genetic resources in Africa, starting with cattle and small ruminants. Such data bases will be shared with the Global Data Bank and other interested parties, and may form the basis for an African Data Bank & AGR.