Indicators to monitor livestock genetic diversity

Policy makers should base there decisions on sound indicators of biodiversity. Proposed indicators sets do not work well. They focus on the number of breeds, which tends to increase with the import of exotic breeds and the creation of new breeds genetically similar to old breeds. Current sets also ignore pressures on biodiversity and responses to these threats. We developed two new sets to address these problems: a restricted set communicating the state of biodiversity at a glance and an extended set giving more background information. Indicators were tested with data on chicken breeds and production in the Netherlands and in Vietnam. They were scored for policy relevance, analytical soundness, measurability and ease of interpretation. The newly developed sets scored positively on all four aspects. The extended set was especially relevant for policy and the restricted set, easy to measure and interpret