Better animal farms for a better world
Improved animal agriculture and breeding lead to better diet, more sustainable communities and a cleaner environment. Europe's key role in the genetic makeup of future animals and animal production can help improve animal husbandry and food production worldwide. The EU-funded project 'Sustainable farm animal breeding and reproduction technology platform' (FABRE-TP) attracted over 100 organisations under one roof to further the technology behind animal agriculture. The project developed a Strategic Research Agenda (SRA) based on the Vision Paper 'Sustainable farm animal breeding and reproduction - A vision for 2025'. Within the project, seven expert groups on breeding farm animals, from sheep and cattle to horses and rabbits, investigated how best to further the sector. Three other expert groups discussed food safety, animal health and diversity, while another three tackled genetics, genomics and reproduction. These groups, all working horizontally, met with non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and breeders to investigate issues such as ethics, environment and social responsibility to articulate sustainable breeding scenarios. FABRE-TP also conducted 34 country discussions in and around Europe with much of these talks contributing to the SRA from a national perspective. As a result, a simplified SRA for policymakers, available in 28 languages, emerged from the project. The guide, as well as an action plan, specific country reports and other material have been published on the project website. European farm animal breeding, including the aquaculture sector, could potentially improve dramatically from these efforts. The results could include artificial insemination, safe genetic improvement and a more sustainable food chain.
