Deutscher Tropentag, October 8 - 10, 2003 in Göttingen "Technological and Institutional Innovations for Sustainable Rural Development"

Approaches on Conservation, Exploitation and Sustainable Use of Animal Biodiversity in Vietnam

¹National Institute of Animal Husbandry (NIAH), Animal Genetic Diversity and Conservation, Vietnam
²Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Vietnam

Abstract

Vietnam is one of 15 countries in the world richest in genetic resources covering of an area of 330,000km<sup>2Vietnam fauna is known of 275 species and sub-species of animals, 1,026 species and sub-species of birds, 260 species of reptiles, 32 species of ambiphious, 500 fresh water fishes, about 2,000 sea water fishes, and dozens of thousands of non-spine fauna. Endemic Vietnamese fauna are numerous, including dozens of mammals, 10 species of birds, 60 fishes, etc. Vietnam is considered as one of the world ancient animal domestication area. The husbandry animals here include 12 species: pig, cattle, goat, sheep, sika deer, samba deer, rabbit, chicken, duck, muscovy-duck, geese and pigeon. They generally maintain adapting characteristics to the living environment. But many of the local breeds are facing extinction or endanger. The conservation duty focuses on protection and strengthening of production sustainability. The main issues are rehabilitate and maintain animal races that are in extinction risk, prevent races extinction; improve in-situ conservation in native areas, promote conservation through use; maintain in-vitro genetic materials of specially necessary races to avoid inbreeding.

Approaches to conservation and sustainable utilization, 2001-2010
exploitation, sustainable utilization of animal genetic resources in Vietnam in the period of 2001-2010

· Raising community awareness of position and importance of animal biodiversity.
· Linking animal biodiversity conservation to national culture conservation.
· Defining proper economic mechanism and regulation for biodiversity conservation.
· Developing and perfecting legal documents on animal biodiversity conservation.
· Scientific training program relevant to the science and technology in animal genetic conservation , Developing the National animal Genebank.
· Enhancing of conservation network from officials to grassroots.
· Transforming market potential breeds in to production by political supports for long-term breeding programs.
· Publishing Domestic Animal Diversity Information System (DAD-IS) on Internet standardized by FAO.</sup>

Keywords: Sustainable use, Vietnamese animal diversity and conservation

Contact Address: Le Thi Thuy, National Institute of Animal Husbandry (NIAH), Animal Genetic Diversity and Conservation,  Hanoi, Vietnam, e-mail: thuy-niahnetnam.org.vn