Underutilized animal genetic resources

Lack of animal breeding
Unmanaged cattle breeding
Unimproved domestic livestock

Nature

Governmental infrastructure for improving services for recording and progeny-performance testing is weak or non-existent in developing countries, and some potentially viable animal breeds and strains in the developing countries are much underutilized, even though the animals could play an important role in economic and social development.

Background

The significance of underutilized animal genetic resources emerged in the late 20th century, as global agricultural modernization led to the dominance of a few high-yield breeds. Researchers and international organizations, notably the FAO, began documenting the rapid decline and neglect of indigenous livestock varieties. This recognition intensified with the 2007 State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources report, highlighting the urgent need to conserve and sustainably use these diverse genetic pools amid growing threats to food security and resilience.

Incidence

The FAO includes the following animals as underutilized: Boran and Sahiwal cattle, Awassi sheep, Shami goats, water buffalo, and camelidae (llama and alpaca).

Claim

The neglect of underutilized animal genetic resources is a critical and alarming issue. By ignoring these diverse breeds, we risk losing invaluable traits essential for food security, climate resilience, and disease resistance. This shortsightedness threatens global biodiversity and undermines our ability to adapt to future challenges. Immediate action is imperative—preserving and utilizing these genetic resources is not optional, but a necessity for sustainable agriculture and the survival of future generations.

Counter-claim

The concern over underutilized animal genetic resources is vastly overstated. In reality, modern agriculture thrives on efficiency and productivity, which is best achieved by focusing on proven, high-yield breeds. Diverting resources to preserve obscure or less-productive animal genetics is an unnecessary distraction. Food security and economic stability should take precedence over sentimental efforts to maintain every rare breed, making this issue far from a pressing global problem.