Adaptation to climate change – exploring the potential of locally adapted breeds

Abstract

The livestock sector and agriculture as a whole face unprecedented challenges to increase production while improving the environment. On the basis of a literature review, the paper first discusses challenges related to climate change, food security and other drivers of change in livestock production. On the basis of a recent discourse in ecology, a framework for assessing livestock species' and breeds' vulnerability to climate change is presented. The second part of the paper draws on an analysis of data on breed qualities obtained from the Food and Agriculture Organization's Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) to explore the range of adaptation traits present in today's breed diversity. The analysis produced a first mapping of a range of ascribed adaptation traits of national breed populations. It allowed to explore what National Coordinators understand by 'locally adapted' and other terms that describe general adaptation, to better understand the habitat, fodder and temperature range of each species and to shed light on the environments in which targeted search for adaptation traits could focus.Keywords: climate change, livestock, breeds, adaptation, habitat ImplicationsAdaptation is necessary to respond adequately to climate change, food security and livelihoods needs, and natural resources conservation. The paper highlights the paucity of comprehensive data on the adaptive capacity of breeds and their management but also gives a glimpse of the range of options available in the genetic diversity of the world's livestock. Particularly in today's extreme environments, adaptation traits including tolerance of climatic extremes and adaptation to poor-quality diets can be found on which targeted search for adaptation traits could focus. Better characterization of locally adapted breeds will be a key for adaptation breeding or exchange of genetics. IntroductionBetween 1980 and 2010, the livestock sector has seen impressive production increases, with global output growing by more than 4% annually. The global trends mask high variation in productivity between livestock production systems, both within and between regions. The increase in livestock production in developing countries has come from increases in animal numbers rather than productivity increases. The variations in productivity are larger in ruminants than in monogastric species for which industrial systems prevail in both developed and developing regions. The most revolutionary change is in poultry production, which has an annual growth rate of more than 10%; its share in world meat production increased from 13% in the mid-1960s to 35% in 2010mid-1960s to 35% in (FAO, 2010a FAOSTAT, 2013).The growing demand for animal food products is met increasingly through industrial systems. Extrapolating the figures of Steinfeld et al. (2006), industrial systems utilizing sophisticated technology and based on internationally sourced feed and animal genetics produced about 55% of pork, 68% of eggs and 74% of poultry meat globally in 2009. This trend...

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