Dear all, Please find attached, for consultation, a base-document prepared by the Secretariat 'Global Agenda of Action in Support of Sustainable Livestock Sector Development' to ensure the application of the 'Do no harm' principles in respect of animal welfare in the implementation of its activities. The 'Global Agenda of Action in Support of Sustainable Livestock Sector Development' (the Agenda) is a multi-stakeholder initiative which focuses on the improvement of resource-efficiency use in the livestock sector and in turn to support livelihoods, long-term food security and economic growth. Stakeholders have agreed that, initially, the Agenda should focus on three areas: 1. Closing the efficiency gap: Application of existing technology and institutional frameworks to generate large resource use efficiency, economic, and social gains 2. Restoring value to grasslands: Harnessing grass/rangeland's potential to contribute to environmental services and sustainable livelihoods 3. Towards zero discharge: Reducing nutrient overload and greenhouse gas emissions through cost effective recycling and recovery of nutrients and energy contained in animal manure The Agenda's stakeholders have also decided to adopt 'Do no harm' principles for the implementation of its activities. In order to be able to operationalize this, the development of due diligence assessments / guiding principles for other environmental, social, economic, public health, and animal welfare outcomes - that are not directly addressed by Agenda activities-, is required. In this respect, the Agenda's Secretariat is has been preparing a base-document to ensure the application of the 'Do no harm' principles in respect of animal welfare in the implementation of its activities. The Agenda's Secretariat wants to consult a broad range of stakeholders interested in animal welfare to ensure the applicability of this base-document, before arriving at a draft document that will be submitted for discussion by the Agenda's Multi-stakeholder platform meeting in Nairobi in January 2013. The attached draft document is thus proposed to form the basis of a future 'do-no-harm' due diligence assessment for Agenda-related activities if it's stakeholders wish to develop these further. The Agenda's Secretariat would be grateful for your comments and suggestions on this document, particularly in respect to (i) their global livestock systems/sector relevance; (ii) their pitch (too ambitious; not ambitious enough); and (iii) their future practical application. We look forward to receiving your feedback by 10 December 2012. Thank you. Best regards, Daniela Battaglia ________________________________ Daniela Battaglia Livestock Production Officer Animal Production and Health Division Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations - FAO viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00153 Rome - Italy tel. +39.06.57056773 - fax. +39.06.57055749 Visit the Gateway to Animal Welfare www.fao.org/ag/animalwelfare.html<http://www.fao.org/ag/animalwelfare.html> & Join us on twitter.com/FAOawelfare<http://twitter.com/FAOawelfare>