This Program is being formed to work on the genomics and biodiversity of feeds and feed resources. Some related work on feed priduction and utilization is done in the Animal Science for Sustainable Production program.
The former 'forage diversity' team and genebank in Addis Ababa are part of this program. It is part of a CGIAR systemwide coordinated activity in plant genetic resources. The genebank also supports the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation and Sustainable Utilization of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which contributes to achieving the objectives of the Convention on Biological Diversity and Agenda 21.
This research team seeks to deliver more refined choices being made on targeting evaluation of feed based productivity efforts in relation to new livestock market opportunities. It also seeks to deliver appropriate feeding strategies that are pro poor are implemented and investment choices made based on assessments of trade offs of environmental public bads and goods.
As world population increases in tandem with our demands, the land on which we depend to feed ourselves remains constant and in many areas, rain is decreasing. Livestock are central to the livelihoods of some one billion of the world’s poorest people, some of who sell livestock products, trade in manure, get jobs in the dairy industry, to mention but a few. Livestock also provide nourishing foods for poor households in urban as well as rural areas. A major challenge is to meet that demand using the same resource base without depleting the environment.
