Animal food products are becoming increasingly important components of the diets of people in developing countries and this trend is expected to accelerate through the next two decades. Between 1983 and 1993 there was an increase in the proportion of both calories and protein derived from animal products for all regions within the developing world except of sub-Saharan Africa and the West Asia and North Africa (WANA) region. This must be remedied because foods from animal sources are the best means of overcoming the protein-energy malnutrition and deficiencies of key micronutrients that are prevalent among poor people. The adverse effects of malnutrition most seriously affect children, adolescents and pregnant and lactating women. In children malnutrition leads to poor growth, diminished mental development, reduced immuno-competence and general ill health. Since the future of all nations depends on their children the consequences will be felt for a long time and remedial action must be taken now.
The best means of improving the micro-nutrient content of the diets of the poor is to enable these people to get affordable supplements of animal food products, such as meat, milk and eggs. In addition to being convenient sources of high quality, readily digested protein and energy, these products also supply essential micronutrients such as iron, zinc, B12, retinol, thiamin, calcium, vitamin B6 and vitamin A, which are typically lacking in cereal-based diets.
Livestock production is also a key activity for the livelihood of smallholder farmers and pastoralists in the WANA region. They serve multiple functions, including being the main form of building assets (saving and capitalisation). Improvement of the well-being of smallholder farmers and pastoralists require increasing the productivity of their agricultural production systems in which livestock are a key component.
Increasing supplies of livestock products in the WANA region will not be an easy task. Current systems of production are already putting a lot of stress on natural resources, particularly soil, water, and plant and animal biodiversity. New technologies must be found that are free of environmental hazards and are sustainable in the long run. Innovations will also be required to cope with the animal nutrition, health and management problems that will emerge with more intensive systems of production. And, the desirable innovations will not be adopted unless there are conducive policies that empower small producers, and ensure sustainable use of natural resources.
Fortunately the countries of the region have well established agricultural research institutions that are aware of and have been successfully dealing with the problems over the years. The institutions have acquired invaluable information and understanding of the causes of the problems and have disseminated improved technologies that the farmers have adopted. Nevertheless, much more needs to be done to improve the welfare of the smallholder livestock keepers and poor consumers in the WANA countries.
Collaboration between partners is a powerful means of accelerating the rate of progress in agricultural research for development. To promote collaboration, ILRI and ICARDA, with the generous support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) hosted the regional consultation reported in this proceedings. The purpose of the consultation was to foster collaboration between livestock scientists in the region and to learn what had been done and what more is needed to promote livestock development. And finally to be informed how best they might complement and add value to livestock research in the region.
ILRI and ICARDA are very grateful for the contributions of the forty participants from 16 West Asian and North African countries (Cyprus, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Yemen), and 3 Central Asian countries (Kazakstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan) and the representatives of the Arab Centre for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), Centre de Coopération Internationale en recherche agonomique pur le développement (CIRAD), Department for International Development (DfID), Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ), Italian Co-operation and the Global Livestock Collaborative Research Support Programme (GL–CRSP). This proceedings is the formal publication of the outcomes of the consultation that have already greatly contributed to advancing collaboration in livestock research in WANA.
ILRI and ICARDA are indebted to Dr Euan Thomson for organising and managing the consultation. We are also indebted to Dr Ahmed Sidahmed and his colleagues at IFAD for their continuous support and encouragement to carry out research activities for the development of the poor in developing countries.
On behalf of ILRI, I would like to thank Dr Ersin Istanbouluglou, Vice-Chair, ICARDA Board of Trustees for his personal support and very active participation in the consultation and Dr Adel El Beltagy, Director General of ICARDA, for hosting the meeting. The hospitality and generosity of all the staff of ICARDA was exceptional and contributed greatly to the success of the consultations.
Ralph von Kaufmann
Director for External Relations, ILRI
