With the aim of assessing how exchange practices regarding Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (AnGR) affect the various stakeholders in the livestock sector and to identify policies and regulatory options that could guide the global exchange, use and conservation of AnGR, an exploration of future scenarios was used as a complementary approach to reviewing the current situation, as well as to identify stakeholders’ views on AnGR policy development.

Four 2050 future scenarios were developed and included:

1. Globalization and regionalization.

2. Biotechnology development.

3. Climate change and environmental degradation.

4. Diseases and disasters.

Having developed the scenarios, these were then used as an input point for a wide range of stakeholder consultations.

The findings show that such an approach has been a useful analytical tool. The ‘far’ future perspective appeared to make people less defensive, especially in a situation where current exchange problems were not yet particularly visible or well documented. Many interviewees broadly considered that it was not a question of ‘if’ the scenarios would happen, but rather a question of ‘when’. This implies that we might do well to consider the need to respond to future challenges through the proactive development of new policies or regulations. Such a finding is partly in contrast with the general perception of the current regulatory situation being broadly acceptable.

Three main areas for further development of policies or regulatory options for animal genetic resources (AnGR) were identified in a study on the exchange, use and conservation of AnGR (Hiemstra et al., 2006):

1. how to halt the further erosion of genetic diversity and promote sustainable breeding and use,

2. whether there is a need to further regulate the exchange of genetic material and

3 how to balance different systems of property and use rights.

This paper provides an in-depth analysis regarding the third challenge, that of addressing the problems and options available for balancing the different property right systems for AnGR.

This paper addresses major issues and challenges for Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) and the livestock sector, as well as options for further development of policies or regulatory approaches. Three main areas were identified, i) how we can halt the further erosion of genetic diversity and promote sustainable breeding and use, ii) whether there is a need to regulate the exchange of genetic material and iii) how to balance different systems of rights (e.g. sovereign rights of nations, intellectual property rights, communal rights or rights of livestock keepers).

To halt further erosion, complementary ex-situ and in-situ conservation approaches are needed and breeding and marketing of local breeds should be strengthened. Secondly, recognizing the importance of the exchange of AnGR, broad access and responsible and equitable exchange mechanisms should be further promoted. Thirdly, regarding intellectual property rights, there is a need to adapt the application of the patent system to the special circumstances inherent in animal breeding. Moreover, possible sui generis systems should be further explored in order to better balance different rights systems.

Rather than developing a new or adapted internationally legally binding framework, the intergovernmental process under FAO may instead wish to focus, in the first instance, on the development of voluntary instruments to strengthen national policies and the implementation of action at national levels.

Debates and developments related to international agreements in the crop sector have also tended to frame the debate for AnGR. However, before launching into a discussion on whether or not an ‘FAO Animal Treaty’ would be needed, one should first of all clarify the problems to be dealt with and regulated via an international regime.

The main animal feed sources in Vietnam are rice bran, rice straw, sweet potato, sugar cane, garden by-product and natural grasses. The majority of the rural population are considered to be farmers, 75% of them practice animal husbandry of which 95% includes animal production with local breeds or crosses. Local breeds or crosses produce 80% of meat and 75% of eggs. Animal production accounts for 20–25% of the total agricultural production. Pork represents 70% of domestic meat consumption.

Low external inputs are associated with the use of natural resources. Such types of natural resources as local breeds of animal are highly respected and used in a sustainable way. Uriu cattle survived the mechanisation in rice production due to the fact that the rice fields of Nghe An are full of rocks. Dong Tao chicken keeping is increasing thanks to the gourmet tastes of exigent Vietnamese consumers. Bau Qui ducks were maintained by Vietnamese of Thai ethnic tradition who killed all animals different from their breeds coming from other parts of the Quy Chau mountains, while the I pig faced the risk of extinction due to the priority given to imported pig breeds for intensive production. The tenacious and strongly built Mong Cai pig is a feature of households in semi-intensive production.