Livestock Production and Welfare: VIII International Conference of Institutions of Tropical Veterinary Medicine

摘要

At the end of the 20th century, development policy centers around four key issues which arethe alleviation of poverty in rural and urban areas, the satisfaction of growing demands for high quality food and consumer goods, the sustenance and enhancement of the natural resource base and of the environment, and the needs of capacity building in institutions and organizations through education and training. In the past the focus of agricultural research and development (R&D) has changed periodically. The age of the "Green Revolution" dramatically changed agricultural patterns and significantly contributed to an increased productivity through the transfer of high yielding plant varieties and livestock breeds. However, not all countries and not all farmers within countries benefited equally from this technology shift. Around 1975 it became obviousthat transfer of technology alone was not the simple clue to overcome rising food shortages and to provide equal income opportunities for rich and poor farmers. Gender issues, information transfer and the role of agricultural policy were discussed as cornerstones of agricultural development. Ten years later, the fact that sustainability of agricultural production is closely linked with the natural resource base could not be ignored any longer. Traditional patterns of agriculture were now seen as one important source for developing appropriate technologies that would be the base of equal income opportunities and that at the same time would efficiently utilize natural resources.