Recent Developments In Biotechnologies Relevant To The Characterization Sustainable Use And Conservation Of Genetic Resources For Food And Agriculture

Over the past 15 years, there have been rapid and ever-increasing advances in science and technology, institutional and human capacities and infrastructure in the field of gene sequencing and in the associated bioinformatics (the application of information technology and computer science to the field of molecular biology) and high-performance computing. This publication provides an update on recent developments in biotechnologies relevant to the characterization, sustainable use and conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

Sustainable Agriculture and the Environment describes the relationship of agriculture, society, nature and the environment, sustainable agriculture and sustainable development goals, management of biophysical resources for sustainable food and environment, traditional knowledge and innovative options, and social and policy aspects of sustainable agriculture. The book presents both environmental and economic principles, helping readers in the development and application of robust policy and good institutional systems that execute on sustainable agriculture practices for a healthy environment and to combat climate resilience. Includes case studies that provide real-world insights Relates traditional knowledge and innovation, maximizing the potential from both Reinforces our understanding of the role of sustainable agriculture in developing environmentally sustainable and profitable food systems

The Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC) 2022 annual progress report captures the key achievements of the FVC, both in terms of its role as a pooled fund for non-earmarked and softly earmarked contributions from resource partners and the implementation of development initiatives through FVC subprogrammes. The report provides a comprehensive understanding of the FVC's role within the Organization, the contribution of FVC-funded work to the achievements of FAO's four betters and their respective Programme Priority Areas (PPAs), and the future direction of the FVC based on experiences in 2022. The report comprises six sections: (1) Introduction, (2) Achievements of the FVC as a fund, (3) Achievements of FVC programmes (the four betters), (4) Key FVC principles, (5) Challenges and lessons learned, and (6) Conclusions and future actions.

Harnessing science, technology and innovation (STI) is key to meeting the aspirations of efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems and leveraging emerging opportunities to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031 identifies STI as having enormous transformative potential and underlines the potential of emerging technologies. It also recognizes that STI can present substantial risks, such as reinforcing inequality and market concentration, or contributing to the degradation of natural resources. As one of four accelerators identified by the FAO Strategic Framework 2022–2031, technology is expected to “accelerate impact while minimizing trade-offs”. This report examines the technology accelerator trends across publicly available FAO knowledge reports, technical guidance and convening summaries. Leveraging AI-assisted classification of nearly 40 000 documents, this report offers a bird’s-eye perspective of six types of technology – digital technologies, biotechnologies, mechanization, irrigation technologies, renewable energy technologies and food processing technologies – as well as high-level trends for outcomes and social and demographic details about the communities using these technologies.

An understanding of sustainability in animal production is becoming increasingly necessary since the global demand for food is expected to dramatically increase in the coming decades. In this context, raising animals for the production of food will become increasingly challenging. Farm animals should not adversely compete with humans for their own sustenance, and food of animal origin should be safe and affordable. The production of healthy animals will therefore be a prerequisite. Such animals will efficiently convert their feed into food that can be certified as nutritive and safe. In addition there is growing evidence that there should be a focus on animal welfare, and environmental pollution related to animal farming must be minimized. Indeed the equation to resolve the constraints on animal production is complex and multifactorial. It is inarguable that the environment and the feed that is offered to animals, are key elements of sustainability in livestock and poultry production. This book addresses the major issues related to animal health and welfare maintenance in relation to their environment, as well as housing emissions and waste management. Experiments, reviews and expert opinions and scenarios for the future are presented. Each of the chapters has been written by scientists with international reputations. The language used, and the examples and the illustrations provided, make it easy to read. The book is of major and current interest to teachers and students in animal and veterinary sciences and to professionals: veterinarians, farm managers, agricultural advisers worldwide.

The term "biodiversity" or "biological diversity" describes the variety of living beings on Earth encompassing microorganisms, plants, animals, and ecosystems, such as coral reefs, forests, and deserts. In fact, it also represents a wealth of biological resources available to us. Today, instead of exploring and preserving its unmapped biodiversity, mankind has gone away from mother nature, conquering the domain through relentless exploitation. This has resulted in an ecological imbalance and thereby has posed serious threat to biodiversity. Declining biodiversity is, therefore, a concern for countless reasons. Biodiversity’s wealth of genetic information can be conserved by storing biological material from endangered species. Cell lines, gametes, and embryos are preserved so that in case a species becomes extinct or there is a need to increase the population of the species, then cloning and artificial reproductive techniques can be used to revive and reproduce the said species. The present volume discusses the biodiversity of specific animal groups, such as cnidarians and fish, as well as potential risks to and methods for conserving some of them. The following important aspects are addressed: 1. The importance of biodiversity in maintaining ecosystem balance for sustainability 2. The emerging role of biodiversity as a source of important materials, pharmaceuticals, food, and so on as such or through genetic manipulation to meet the contemporary and future challenges 3. The impact of environment degradation on biodiversity and conservation in a changing environment 4. Conventional and emerging biotechnological techniques to conserve biodiversity The book is intended for academics, scientists, and naturalists working in the fields of biology, biochemistry, biophysics, and biomedical sciences.

There are a wide range of biotechnologies available and many of them have been, and are currently being, used in many situations and sectors worldwide to solve the myriad problems that farmers are facing. Documentation of the application of agricultural biotechnologies for smallholders is an important part of FAO’s role in facilitating knowledge sharing regarding agricultural biotechnologies. This document synthesizes a unique series of 15 case studies where agricultural biotechnologies were used to serve the needs of smallholders in developing countries. The introduction chapter provides an overall background and objectives of the compilation of case studies. The case studies cover different regions, production systems, species and underlying socioeconomic conditions in the crop, livestock and aquaculture/fisheries sectors. The biotechnologies covered include some that are considered quite traditional, such as artificial insemination, as well as other more modern ones, such as the use of DNA-based diagnostics. The case studies were prepared by scientists and researchers who were directly involved in the initiatives, and the authors aimed to provide the background, achievements, obstacles, challenges and lessons learned from each case study. The final chapter of the document provides a summary overview of the challenges, results and lessons learned from the 15 case studies.