Welcome on the Sites of the Balkan Network for Agrobiodiversity

Balkan Network

The traditional breeds and varieties represent an important and valuable genetic and cultural-historical heritage. They possess qualities such as sturdiness, fertility and resistance against diseases and parasites, which could become very important in a different economic environment.

The Balkans are, to a large part, a mountainous region and thus subdivided into numerous small regions. Because of these small landscape structures, and the numerous different ethnic groups using very different production forms, a large agricultural diversity has developed, parts of which have survived till the present day.

The political and economic restructuring has far-reaching impacts on agriculture. New techniques and methods and new breeding material replaces the old one. In order to be able to conserve the diversity of livestock as cultural heritage of the region at least in parts, it is urgently called to evaluate the actual status and the need for action for different breeds, to initiate projects and to set up a network.

Since a few years some organisations are proactive in conservation of rare breeds (for example 1998 FAO-Seminar in Thessaloniki).

The Monitoring Institute for Rare breeds and Seeds in Europa, with the European SAVE Foundation (Safeguard for Agricultural Varieties in Europe), took the initiative to realize a Balkan Network for Agrobiodiversity. A first preliminary workshop with stakeholders has taken place in the End of September 2004.

The Sonnenwiese Foundation, FL-Vaduz, and the Heidehof Foundation, D-Stuttgart, finance generously this project.

This Website is part of the information activities among the Network.