PURE SUSTAINABILITY! The importance of livestock biodiversity.

"In an increasingly polarized world where a higher percentage of people live in large cities, it is becoming more and more necessary to produce food efficiently, but also sustainably. This is the premise of the video ¡PURE SUSTAINABILITY! Discovering the value of livestock farming, an audiovisual piece produced by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPA) and the Royal Spanish Federation of Purebred Livestock Associations to highlight the environmental and sustainable role of the livestock sector, with special emphasis on selection livestock and the extensive rearing of these animals.
The video was first presented in the framework of the International Livestock Fair of Zaragoza FIGAN 2021 last Thursday, September 23, in an event held at the MAPA stand that was attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Luis Planas, who used his speech to highlight the importance of the Spanish agricultural and livestock sector for the GDP and for the economic development of our country, recalling that Spain is the first country in sheep production in the European Union, the second in pig and poultry production and the third country in bovine production.
But today, it was presented at the ICAR 2023 Annual conference, in the mark of the ERPF WG Joint Meeting.
The video shows that Spain is one of the great world powers in livestock biodiversity, since we have a wide variety of officially recognized livestock breeds. More than 80% of these breeds are linked to a specific territory, demonstrating their adaptation to the environment and their productive efficiency. A significant percentage of selected livestock is reared extensively, based on practices such as livestock grazing over large areas, which is very common in sheep and goats, but also in cattle and pigs.
In addition, extensive livestock farming serves to maintain ecosystems, helping in the prevention of fires, as it contributes to keeping our forest areas clean.
The breeding and promotion of livestock breeds also contributes to the fight against depopulation, as it generates employment in rural areas, fixing the population and helping to reactivate the economy.
Aware of the need to enhance the value of our production, there are several differentiating brands in our country to help consumers recognize the quality and origin of the products they buy, including the 100% Native Breed Logo, an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that identifies products from native Spanish breeds.