The first International Technical Conference on Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture was held from 3-7 September 2007, in Interlaken, Switzerland.

This was the first intergovernmental conference to focus exclusively on animal genetic resources (AnGR). On the first day, delegates convened in a scientific forum to hear presentations and engage in discussions on the scientific aspects of AnGR. The following morning, a final version of the report, The State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, was presented. However, most of the conference was taken up with negotiations on the draft Global Plan of Action for Animal Genetic Resources and on the Interlaken Declaration on Animal Genetic Resources. After lengthy negotiations, the Global Plan was adopted, including a section on implementation and financing that had been the subject of considerable discussion. Delegates also adopted the Interlaken Declaration, which stresses the importance of AnGR and confirms the adoption of the Global Plan. The successful completion of the Global Plan and Interlaken Declaration provides a framework for future action and represents the beginning of a challenging long-term process for countries and the FAO to sustainably manage the world’s AnGR for food and agriculture.
Link to further information
IISD RS coverage of the Conference