The mountain farmers operate on whole of animals (flocks, herds, working herds) copying models coming surely from the beginning of domestication. The apprenticeship lengthwise of centuries was received as a heritage and they will to enrich through every generational change. Furthermore, in mountain difficulties the commerce do not rise a regulative capacity as on the plains or well communicated regions and therefore the efficiency way is nearly indispensable.

Millennium Development Goal Number Seven is particularly concerned with the safeguarding and provision of freshwater resources to all human.beings; this is a major challenge – and perhaps even the main challenge – for all the world’s drylands. SUMAMAD project aims at the sustainable management of marginal drylands, where the scarcity of water imposes restrictions for the productivity of each particular ecosystem. It is needed therefore to look into the entire water complex so as to promote a wise and sustainable water use. However,

This book brings together information on the contrasting characteristics, condition, present use and problems of the world's main natural grasslands. Since grassland is commercialized through the grazing animal, particular attention is paid to the livestock production systems associated with each main type. Grazing resources are more than simply edible herbage: many other factors have to be taken into account, notably water in all areas, and shelter in winter-cold climates.

This paper is part of the follow-up to the workshop “Managing Agricultural Biodiversity for Sustainable Development” organized by the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) for the CGIAR System-wide Genetic Resources Programme (SGRP) and hosted by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF), Nairobi, Kenya (23-25 October, 2003, Nairobi, Kenya).

In 2004, ICARDA began strategic visioning, driven by the global focus on achieving the Millennium Development Goals and the realignment of the CGIAR System priorities by the Science Council. It involved, among other actions, a consolidation of the 19 research projects into six mega-projects for better integration of the Center’s multidisciplinary teams, and an increased use of new tools of science in addressing the problems of poverty and degradation of natural resources.

Con la finalidad de evaluar productividad, consumo y eficiencia biológica en vacas Frisón Neozelandés (FN) y F1 Jersey-Frisón Neozelandés a pastoreo, se emplearon 23 vacas FN y 24 F1, primíparas, paridas entre el 23/7 y el 27/9 de 2001, en la Estación Experimental Oromo, Universidad de Chile, X Región. La información se recopiló en tres períodos, de 21 días cada uno. Al inicio de estos, las vacas se encontraban en 66, 126 y 220 días de lactancia. Los animales fueron pesados diariamente con el fin de obtener el peso vivo (PV) promedio y la tasa de variación del peso.