In 1994, Rare Breeds International (RBI) assisted with the establishment of an association for the conservation of early domesticated animals in South Africa. More recently, the name changed to the Farm Animal Conservation Trust. This association promotes the conservation of South Africa's indigenous livestock resources by exhibiting breeds at strategic venues throughout the country and making information available on the breeds and their value added traits. Animals have also been placed at selected zoos and other facilities for optimal public exposure and for participation in breeding initiatives.
South Africa has a variety of indigenous farm animal breeds that have played a major role in the social, cultural and economic history of the country. Most of these animals had their origins in Eastern and Northern Africa and migrated southwards with tribes to reach and enter South Africa between 200 and 700 AD. In the process they adapted to and settled in a variety of biomes, from periodic dry to natural grazing.
A number of these breeds still exist today such as the Nguni and Afrikaner cattle, the Boergoat and Ronderib Afrikaner sheep. Some have been commercialized and are at no risk while others have been severely depleted by continued crossbreeding and replacement. Others have been used to develop hardy composites for specific environments.
All these breeds can be classified as landraces - indigenous and locally developed breeds closely linked to a country by way of name, local content, breeding programme and origin.
FACT should be seen as part of a national initiative to create awareness and markets and to promote added-value traits. This partnership also includes the National Department of Agriculture, the Agricultural Research Council, universities and the National Agricultural Museum.
FACT has now published a booklet to facilitate the marketing of landrace breeds as part of an initiative to conserve through commercial utilization. Information on production environments will aid in selecting the breed suitable for effective farming systems. Breed information can be used by the resource-poor farmer to identify animals with added-value traits. This will serve as a link between the owner of the these animals and potential markets and services. It will also hopefully contribute to the emergence of commercial breeders of landraces in the resource-poor sector and to the long term stability of breeds that have passed the test of time and that have been part of the daily lives of the indigenous people of South Africa since the first stock owners arrived in the country more than 2000 years ago.
South Africa is rapidly losing one of its greatest treasures: its immense biodiversity of species and habitats. There is great concern globally by organisations such as the UNEP and the FAO over the loss of biodiversity in domestic animals and plants. Part of the South African heritage lies in the genetic diversity of indigenous domesticated breeds which have adapted to the harsh African environment. These animals can survive on both marginal and high potential grazing and are disease and heat tolerant. It is essential that the gene pool of these unique characteristics should be conserved.
