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Europe is currently facing the spread of several serious animal diseases, including sheep pox, Bluetongue disease, lumpy skin disease (in cattle), ...
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The ERFP has released new guidelines to support the recognition and organization of gene banks in Europe. The document is an output of an Ad Hoc ...
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Practical recommendations for the developpment of genebanks
Various initiatives have focused on strengthening ex situ conservation activities across Europe. However several studies pointed out that many breeds in European countries have either no or insufficient material in genebanks.
The Ad Hoc Action “Strengthening national capacities towards the development of a
national Gene Bank strategy” main objective was utimately to define solutions and priorities to support national efforts towards the development of a national cryo-conservation strategy.
The current set of guidelines is based on the information collected and analyzed through this AHA. It aims at training actors to adopt good practices in ex situ conservation and contains practical recommendations for the development of genebanks. It can support relevant activities and initiatives in European countries by providing practical examples of solutions to relevant problems and gaps.
These guidelines are based on actions already implemented and could be therefore directly used in
similar cases, as proposed in the recommendations, or by creating initiatives based upon the original
models.
EUGENA
The ERFP Working Group Ex situ Conservation has the primary responsibility for this issue. There should be further workshops with internal and external experts to further develop a concept for EUGENA. The ERFP Task Force for Access and Benefit Sharing should take over the development of draft standardized Material Transfer Agreements and Material Acquisition Agreements for further consideration by the Assembly of NCs. Additionally, Common Terms of Agreement and a model Letter of Agreement have to be developed. The objective is the advancement and finalization of the Genebank Network concept leading to establishment of the EUGENA by a formal agreement among National Coordinators (or countries) and/or national genebanks.
EFABIS
The European Database EFABIS is Europe´s Regional Node of the Domestic Animal Diversity Information System DAD-IS managed by FAO. EFABIS serves as an impartial platform for the distribution of national data provided by the European National Coordinators.