PRESS
WAF 2011 annual meeting
A focus on "The Future of Agriculture" and on "social marketing", theme of the 2011 World Animal Forum annual meeting
Turin, Italy, 22nd May 2011
The World Animal Forum (WAF) held its 6th annual meeting in northern Italy, from 18th to the 22nd of May. Once again, the Annual Meeting, taking place in the private setting of Banna, provided a unique backdrop for Members and thought leaders to engage in frank, open and constructive discussions, on the Future of Agriculture and on social marketing applied to animal welfare related issues.
Social marketing and animal welfare related behaviour changes.
Participants discussed how key social marketing concepts can be applied to animal welfare related issues, with a focus on behavioural goals, audience segmentation, insight, exchange, barriers and incentives. The group looked into the particular issue of meat consumption, both in qualitative and quantitative terms, and how to frame the debate most effectively around this issue, to counter further industrialisation of animal agriculture and factory farming.
A holistic approach to food production, encompassing the economic, social, environmental and animal welfare dimensions
Discussions started with an overview of the current status of animal agriculture worldwide, where two third of animals are kept in industrial systems, and the number of challenges faced, including how can the world produce more food, in the context of a tightening resources base (diminishing oil resources, water scarcity...), increasing population, competition for land, with food waste and food loss etc.. The group engaged in a process of mutual learning, gained a better understanding of different interests, and built relationships to set the scene for future areas of collaboration towards common goals.
WAF 2011 participants, experts and decision makers from academia, business, international organisations, government and civil society, included Professor Andreasen (Georgetown University), and two representatives from Kenyon Fraser, and of the European Commission (Paola Testori Coggi, DG of DG SANCO, Martin Scheele, DG AGRI), the OIE (Alain Dehove), Jerry Crawford (US lawyer), Corrado Pirzio-Biroli (former EU Ambassador and economist), Padraig Walshe (former COPA President), Vinod Kapur (Indian Entrepreneur)...
About the World Animal Forum:
The World Animal Forum (WAF) was created in 2006 as a private gathering uniting like-minded leaders in the animal protection movement with selected guests. As an independent forum, it acts as a catalyst for new thoughts, and seeks linkages between the animal protection movements and other societal groups. Furthermore, the Forum provides an unique opportunity to share ideas and thoughts and to foster discussions on the problems faced by animal protection globally. WAF members include the CEOs of CIWF, HSUS, HSI, IFAW, Maddie’s Fund, Partnership for Animals, the RSPCA and WSPA.
Compassion In World Farming: www.ciwf.org
The Humane Society of the US: www.hsus.org
Humane Society International: www.hsi.org
International Fund for Animal Welfare: www.ifaw.org
Maddie’s Fund: www.maddiesfund.org
Partnership for Animals: www.partnershipforanimals.org
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal: www.rspca.org.uk
World Society for the Protection of Animals: www.wspa-international.org
For more information:
www.worldanimalforum.org, info@worldanimalforum.org
WAF 2011 annual meeting> (pdf format)