ONE DAY SATELLITE WORKSHOP "LINKING CONSERVATION NGOS WITH THE PROFESSIONALS" 59TH EAAP ANNUAL MEETING IN VILNIUS (LITHUANIA)

24 to 27 of August of 2008

One day satellite workshop - Lithuania - August 2008

"Linking Conservation NGOs with the Professionals"

Rare Breeds International planned an one day workshop preceding the 59th EAAP annual meeting in 24-27 August in Vilnius-Lithuania

A presentation was made by RBI in the ERFP meeting which preceded the 59th EAAP Annual Meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, in August 2008 under the title of:

‘The Role of NGOs in the Implementation of the Global Plan of Action’

It looked at the creation of RBI as the global co-ordinating NGO in the historical context of the development of conservation policy for AnGR.

It identified the key issues:
~ Support for endangered breeds (20% are at risk; 30% status unknown)
~ Displacement of local breeds by exotics
~ Indiscriminate cross-breeding of local breeds
~ Animal breeding patents which threaten the freedom of livestock keepers

It identified key activities for NGOs:
~ Apply practical action to realise the policy objectives
~ Build on their demonstrated ability to save breeds from extinction
~ Pursue planned collaboration with FAO and national governments
~ Identify priority items which they can implement effectively