EFABIS Project

EFABIS – A European Farm Animal Biodiversity Information System (EFABIS)
Infrastructures- Area 14 (QLRT-2001-00026).
FABISnet was initiated in 2002 under a project managed by EAAP and supported by the European Commission

Objectives of the research

The objective of the project is to create an integrate infrastructure of databases to monitor Farm Animal Biodiversity (FAB) in Europe. This project will meet the specific requirements of the European continent as well as the need for full compatibility with the Global Information System (DAD-IS) of FAO. The outcomes of the project will be made available to the widest range of potential users. It will be an important tool in characterisation, utilisation and conservation of those genetic resources. The project will help rationalise the monitoring of livestock and poultry genetic diversity, and favour a greater awareness of the genetic resources available to the European farmers. The new European database structure will help the countries in collecting information on the hand and will be integrated with DAD-IS, which is designed to link all parties to the FAO Global Strategy for the Management of Farm Animal Genetic Resources.

Methodology

The infrastructure considered in this project is essentially made of a system of data collection and storage at three levels, the country, the European and the Global Level. FAO has decided to put the programme code for DAD-IS into the public domain under the Open Source Model (OSM). The current regional data-base will be put on the OSM footing which will allow incorporation of European specificities and at the same time ensure an easy transfer of data to DAD-IS. National databases will be created using the same core structure. An essential aim of the project is to take into account the stage of development reached in the various countries of Europe, and to propose solutions best adapted to their needs and resources. The result will be a well-integrated network, basically relying on the OSM methodology, and therefore developed in close collaboration with FAO.

Anticipated results

A network of databases allowing a comprehensive and reliable inventory of biodiversity for the major farm livestock species of Europe.
Development of tools that will enable countries to better capitalize on the various modules of the EAAP database and FAO DAD-IS system.
Basic infrastructure for the scientific characterisation of European farm animal genetic resources