Third World Conference on Farm Animal Welfare Successfully Held in Beijing
On September 19th 2019, “3rd World Conference on Farm Animal Welfare” was held in Qingdao. The conference, jointly co-hosted by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation (CAPIAC), was organized by International Cooperation Committee of Animal Welfare (ICCAW) and VNU Exhibitions Asia Ltd. The two-day conference featured “Consumer-driven Quality Improvement: Assuring Animal and Human Health”.
Opening Ceremony of 3rd World Conference on Farm Animal Welfare
Nearly 400 people from around the world, including representatives of international organizations, experts and scholars and livestock company representatives, gathered together for the discussions and exchanges on animal welfare-friendly farming, sustainable development of animal husbandry, quality improvement of agricultural products and animal welfare and antimicrobial reduction, etc.
Mr. Zhai Huqu, President of China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation, delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony.
In the welcome speech, Mr. Zhai Huqu, President of China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation, pointed out that animal welfare was a symbol of the progress of human civilization and was a symbol of the overall improvement of human welfare. It was also related to the international reputation of a nation. Farm animal welfare was closely related to human health. Animal welfare-friendly products were healthy and of good quality, which had been recognized by more and more consumers. The driving from end-users would greatly promote the development of animal welfare industry chain.
Mr. Vincent Martin, FAO Representative in China and DPR Korea, delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony.
Mr. Vincent Martin, FAO Representative in China and DPR Korea, delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony. He pointed out that animal welfare was closely related to the achievements of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Goals. The UN Food and Agriculture Organization considered animal welfare to be an important means of improving animal husbandry and health and specified that animal welfare was a key area in the overall development of global livestock system. To this end, FAO was committed to promoting knowledge sharing, supporting education, training and capacity building, promoting the implementation of field projects and encouraging responsible investment in animal welfare.
Mr. Ma Youxiang, Chief Director of Animal Husbandry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, delivered a welcome speech at the opening ceremony.
Mr. Ma Youxiang, Chief Director of Animal Husbandry of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that since the founding of the People's Republic of China 70 years ago, the development of animal husbandry had achieved two major milestones: solving supply problems and solving quality and safety issues. The animal husbandry had steadily progressed into the high-quality development stage. Along with the sustained and healthy development of animal husbandry, farm animal welfare had developed at the same time with remarkable achievements. In the next, we would align with the objective requirements of economic and social development and vigorously promote work on animal welfare in China.
"Beijing Consensus" Ceremony
At the opening ceremony, “Beijing Consensus” Ceremony was held. During 2nd World Conference on Farm Animal Welfare, Beijing Consensus had been jointly advocated and signed by 16 organizations. It embodied the wisdom and strength of authoritative animal welfare organizations, aiming to improve global animal welfare and human health and to promote environment-friendly development. After one year of work, "Beijing Consensus" had been gradually implemented. On behalf of the sixteen joint initiating organizations, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Compassion in World Farming, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, The Donkey Sanctuary, World Horse Welfare and World Animal Protection and China Association for the Promotion of International Agricultural Cooperation published the first “Five-year Plan” of Beijing Consensus. Through the establishment of a scientific knowledge system, increasing consumer awareness, building a public platform, strengthening capacity building and promoting policy support, the various initiatives of Beijing Consensus would be put into action.
Participants of 3rd World Conference on Farm Animal Welfare
The conference featured a plenary session and five concurrent sessions on swine welfare, poultry welfare, ruminant welfare, equine welfare and animal welfare and antimicrobial reduction. The participants conducted in-depth discussions and analysis on current animal welfare development conditions and future trends.
As the world's largest swine and poultry farming country, animal welfare issues in China had always attracted global attention. World Conference on Farm Animal Welfare had been held in China for three consecutive years. It had gradually become an important window for the world to understand animal welfare progress in China. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the convention of the conference highlighted China's leading role as a responsible country in the field of animal welfare.
