Editorial Prof. Dr. W.Bessei & Prof. Dr. Isabelle Ruhnke – Is backyard always backward? – Part II

 

• W. Bessei Professor, Farm Animal Ethology and Small Animal Science, Contact: werner.bessei@uni-hohenheim.de
• Isabelle Ruhnke, Professor Poultry Diseases,                                                 Contact: Isabelle.Ruhnke@fu-berlin.de

The first part of this publication described the diversity of poultry breeds that contribute to the supply of protein through meat and eggs in rural areas around the world. However, the significance of local breeds goes far beyond the aspect of nutrition. This second part summarises the results of a large-scale survey on the motivations for keeping local breeds in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs). The cultural role of native poultry breeds is often a key motivation for raising and preserving local breeds. This aspect contributes substantially to the significantly higher prices for products from native chickens compared to the prices to obtain products from the more efficient higher-yielding imported poultry breeds. The intangible value of poultry as a cultural asset and as a contributor to the preservation of genetic diversity must be recognised and added to the monetary value as estimated by entities like the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). The tables and graphs provided in this article offer a striking impression of the importance of rural poultry farming worldwide.

 

Werner Bessei & Isabelle Ruhnke

Editors