Animal Genetic Resources (AnGR) are crucial for livelihood in the drylands of the world. The pastoral people are the custodians of the AnGR in difficult environment of drylands. AnGR are the building blocks for future livestock development that will enable animal producers to respond to environmental changes. The ability of indigenous/pastoral livestock breeds to survive natural calamities (droughts, climatic extremes and diseases) is necessarily more important than high productivity. Such animals are generally close to their wild ancestors, enabling them to resist diseases and feed & water scarcity. The need of modern veterinary care is thus limited. Unfortunately the State of the World Report on AnGR predicted that 20% of livestock breeds are at risk of extinction and the average breed loss is 1 breed per month. The pastoral livestock breeds are more prone to this erosion. These issues demanded efforts to bring them in the minds of scientists and policy makers.
In 2005, the like-minded scientists organized the SAVES. Originally it was a Pakistani society, soon many international friends and scientists joined it. Now it is an international society.
Objectives
Conservation of AnGR and Indigenous knowledge through the strengthening of the pastoral peoples
Characterization and documentation of AnGR with the perspectives of the livestock keepers
Documentation and validation of the Indigenous knowledge with the participation of the communities
Research projects on the pastoral livestock production systems, products, culture and ecosystems
Value additions to the local livestock products for the wellbeing of the livestock keepers and conservation of the breeds
Tools
Livestock keepers rights (LKR)
Community Bio-cultural Protocols (BCP)
Mobilization and organization of the livestock keepers
Domestication of Old World Camels The Arabian camel has domesticated 3 to 5 thousands year before and the main driver for domestication was it milk. The camel was domesticated a bit later than other animals so its name appeared late in the register of domesticated animals. The one-humped camel (Camelus dromedarius) is found in all …
In Balochistan province of Pakistan, there are many livestock species which are well adapted to the climatic conditions and produce a very much low-input livestock production models. Unfortunately, local livestock breeds are never discussed and document earlier by scientists with the perspectives and breeding goals of the keepers. Such poor documentation always smooth-tongued the way for dilution …
Ecological zones of Balochistan province of Pakistan The ecological zones already presented in the literature are based on the agronomic prcatices, temperature, rainfall etc. In the present study the ecological zones were sketched on the basis of the local penology, type and production systems of livestock, temperature, rainfall etc. It was revealed that there are …
I received a report about the swelling head disease from a colleague from Mithi district of province Sindh in Pakistan. He has sent me some pictures of the affected camels also. They are upset with the situation and already 37 camels are dead due to this disease. A colleague said, they tried to isolate bacteria …
The world is passing through the very challenging food security crisis. Million of people needs food aid. The policymakers need to think about this alarming issue.
