Managing genetic diversity in breeding programs of small populations: the case of French local chicken breeds.

Background: On-going climate change will drastically modify agriculture in the future, with a need for more sustainable systems, in particular regarding animal production. In this context, genetic diversity is a key factor for adaptation to new conditions: local breeds likely harbor unique adaptive features and represent a key component of diversity to reach resilience. However, local breeds often suffer from small population sizes, which puts these valuable resources at risk of extinction.