Download Discorso introduttivo Terza Conferenza OIE Animal Welfare

Discorso introduttivo Terza Conferenza OIE Animal Welfare
Introduzione
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Ringraziamenti: Governo Malese, OIE, Regione OIE Asia
Oceania focal points, ONG, EU Member States:...., donors:.....
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Reference to OIE Asia Oceania Regional Strategy for animal
welfare
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Short mention to EU AW strategy 2012-2015 and the reasons
for the support to OIE activities – global initiatives to raise AW
standards and to avoid animal sufferance demanded by EU
citizens.
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Prof Donald Broom in an article published in 2010 is providing
an interesting definition of sustainability:
◦
No system or procedure is sustainable if a substantial
proportion of people find aspects of it now, or of its
consequences in the future, morally unacceptable.
How far global communities are the accepting animal sufferance?
Why AW is important for more and more people? The new concept of
food quality and the readiness for the sector to work for it.
We see AW becoming part of the concept of sustainable production.
The new idea of quality and the need to cope with the future
challenges in a global community that is growing. The losing on the
faith of sustainability of farming is becoming more evident as much
as the consequences of farming are becoming morally
unacceptable.
quote: “In relation to animal production in the world consumers will
increasingly demand the avoidance of adverse effects on human
welfare, animal welfare, the environment and fair trade and
maintenance of the viability of human communities. All these
aspects are now part of product quality”
If some of animal production becomes morally NOT acceptable by
the society is clearly NOT sustainable.
To ensure that this new ideas and concepts become part of the
quality assurance package the education of the veterinarians and
the ones is that are close to the animals is demanding strong
resources
Why OIE standards?
AW standards needs strong scientific backup and wide consensus to
be recognised and applied. They have strong veterinary
connotations. OIE is leading for these reasons and has strong
potentials. The conference starting today, after the ones of Paris
and in Egypt confirms this aptitude.
Globally more than 95% of domestic animals are farmed. The most
part of them in industrial farming systems. Understanding animal
welfare means reducing their sufferance. But it means also
increasing the quality of the production and its market value.
More animal welfare means less diseases, less antibiotics, more
animals derived from indigenous breeds and respect for rural
identities.
Pork, chicken and beef mean 90% of the total consumption of meat
in the world: the zootechnical pressure on these species is bigger
and bigger: the welfare of these animals is at risks in the farm,
during transport and when they are killed. Applying OIE AW
standards is urgent!
Advancing in science and technology is rapid but how the veterinary
profession is ready to cope with the demand of animal welfare?
CONCLUSIONS
AW is an added value both for the producers and the consumers.
AW enhance the trust in the food chain and aggregates producers
and consumers in a common network – this is why we have todays
NGOs participating to the debate. We need to think of a shift – a
shift in thinking animals and the way they produce to respond to
the different regional needs.
This is why the theme of the this third event is in the views of the
EU Commission appropriate. Coming from the area of the world
where AW is regulated more than any other place I have learned
personally the hard work demanded to ensure its enforcement.
The Third OIE Conference is first of all a place of dialogue and
sharing of experience. It has to be inclusive and not exclusive. The
take home message probably will be modulated by the different
cultures of the world but must not fail to answer to the demands of
the society.
This is in my views a great opportunity to put resources together
because nothing more than AW demands highly skilled resources to
be implemented.
I wish a fruitful conference to you all.