This wonderful book demonstrates how rural livelihoods as well as diets, health and ways of life are enhanced by the socalled neglected and underutilized plant species which, in the book. The platform for agrobiodiversity research facilitated a special seminar on climate change and made a statement during the cgrfa session this week at fao, rome. If there are any questions oder technical troubles, please dont hesitate to contact us. Founded in october 1945, the fao is the oldest existing agency of the u. The presentation outlined a new agrobiodiversity index that will enable governments, private sector and other decisionmakers to assess and track agrobiodiversity in food systems.
Agricultural biodiversity, socialecological systems and. Prior to joining bioversity gina worked for the nutrition division of fao on foodbased indicators for use in food and nutrition security programs, nutrition assessment and nutrient requirements. Pdf agrobiodiversity status and conservation options and. The economic development, above all the spread of modern, commercial agriculture and intensive, highinput production systems features as prime driver of diversity decrease, putting native varieties and breeds at risk fao 1996a. Local knowledge and culture can therefore be considered as integral parts of agrobiodiversity, because it is the human activity of agriculture that shapes. It provides resources such as food, medicine, fibers. Agrobiodiversity is the result of natural selection processes and the careful selection and inventive developments of farmers, herders and fishers over millennia. Instead farmers today have a world market to serve.
Scientifc foundations for an agrobiodiversity index. The agrobiodiversity index is an innovative tool that measures the current state of agrobiodiversity in markets and consumption, in agricultural production, and in genetic resource management, and the extent to which commitments and actions at country, company and project level support sustainable use and conservation of agrobiodiversity. The index is a handy way to measure agrobiodiversity, you can compare it with energy indexes we have for a refrigerator or a house states willem olthof of the european commission, also at the launch, and as consumers decide which products to buy based on the energy score, countries, donors or companies would have better. The causes of agrobiodiversity loss are manifold and interrelated. It also provides links to newsletters, distributors contacts in order to obtain print copies, and to the state. These factors must be taken into account as part of the process of selection and introduction of new or underdeveloped crops, although they are often overlooked. Promoting the use of agrobiodiversity in climate change. The delhi declaration on agrobiodiversity management, adopted at the first international agrobiodiversity congress, held in november 2016, calls for an agrobiodiversity index to help monitor conservation and use of agrobiodiversity. The food and agriculture organization of the united nations fao is a specialized agency of the united nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. London, 2012 agrobiodiversity and the law, juliana. Please note, that this site is still under construction. Agrobiodiversity thus includes a series of social, cultural, ethical, and spiritual variables that are determined by local farmers in the broad sense at the local community level. Global plan of action for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Publications food and agriculture organization of the.
The agrobiodiversity index is an innovative tool that brings together data about the agrobiodiversity that people sell and eat, grow and conserve, and provides insights into food system functioning. There is a need to measure and understand biodiversity in rapid, costefficient ways, to connect also with policy decisions by countries and companies on best practices to foster diversity. This book offers an overview of the nature of the difficulties facing the marine fisheries sector. Agricultural biodiversity, multifunctional character of agriculture and land conference, background paper 1. Farmers handbook on basic agriculture acknowledgement h igher demand for agricultural raw material is now anticipated and agriculture is not any more about producing farm products and selling them exclusively at the local market. Agrobiodiversity provides most of our food through our interaction with crops and domestic animals. Conservation of agricultural biodiversity, development and. Gender issues cut across agrobiodiversity management activities in several ways. Agrobiodiversity is the result of natural selection processes and the careful selection and inventive developments of.
This book is the first step in the process of creating an index to help monitor the conservation and use of agrobiodiversity across different dimensions. Why most of our worlds food crops are becoming extinct. Conservation of agricultural biodiversity, development and sustainable use of its potentials in agriculture, forestry and fisheries a strategy of the german federal ministry of food, agriculture and consumer protection on conservation and sustainable. Women users, preservers and managers of agrobiodiversity. One of the aims of agrobiodiversity research is to introduce or to reintroduce into presentday agriculture and horticulture more diversity from gene banks, botanical or zoological gardens, and other. Resources and agrobiodiversity community green brown blue. Plant genetic diversity is crucial to the breeding of food crops and is therefore a central precondition for food security. Contents introduction importance of biodiversity components of agro biodiversity benefits of agro biodiversity sustainability approaches case study national agriculture biodiversity programme conclusion references 2. Agrobiodiversity is the result of the interaction between the environment, genetic resources and management. Agrobiodiversity for food security, health and income. Managing agrobiodiversity in rural areas, gtz aims to promote collaboration, exchange and networking among the various institutions involved in agrobiodiversity management in the policy arena, among the research community and in the field. The series as a whole is intended to document and spell out the various environmental, economic, social and cultural values that this category can provide. These include institutions in the partner countries, german and international public, privatesector.
Building on gender, agrobiodiversity and local knowledge. Otherwise known as agrobiodiversity, agricultural biodiversity is a broad term that includes the variety and variability of animals, plants and microorganisms at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels that sustain the ecosystem structures, functions and processes in and around production systems, and that provide food and non. The four principal elements of agrodiversity include. On the 16 july 2011, the platform for agrobiodiversity. Agrobiodiversity index a varied diet for investors. Biodiversity provides a source of nutrientrich, culturally appropriate foods, and at the same time, a component of low input, sustainable food production systems. Individually each publication will illustrate the respective value by use of a number of case studies, preceded by a synthesis section. Nonmarket institutions for agrobiodiversity conservation ruth. This loss in agrobiodiversity has largel y resulted from the rise of industrial agriculture, in which high yielding uniform crop varieties have been widely adopted over.
The book is the first step in the process of creating such an index, which can measure agricultural. Before sharing sensitive information online, make sure youre on a. Future global food security is firmly anchored in sound, sciencebased management of agrobiodiversity. Agrobiodiversity with emphasis on plant genetic resources. Commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture cgrfa situated under fao, has endorsed new guidelines that can support stakeholders and national policy makers make better use of agrobiodiversity to. Agricultural biodiversity is a subset of general biodiversity. It is a measure of the variety of organisms present in different ecosystems. The science of agrobiodiversity has emerged during the last 10 years.
Multiple objectives, trade offs and synergies between productivity and agrobiodiversity, 8. This important book contributes to our understanding of how international regimes affect the management of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture in developing countries. Riccardo wrote a book about baking with sourdough and regularly writes for various food magazines. The agricultural sector is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, second only to the energy sector. It is the third most cultivated vegetable crop, according to the fao, after potatoes.
Agricultural biodiversity in short agrobiodiversity is dive rsity of crops and their wild relatives, fruits, trees, livestock, fish, pollinators, microbes and the lan dscapes that contribute to. The social nature of agrobiodiversity in central amazonia. The humble tomato is a staple crop in a large part of the world. Association of asia pacific agricultural research institutions, bangkok chadha ml, hasan mndiga h 2007 african eggplantfrom underutilized to a commercially profitable venture.
The publications page offers an overview of fao s publishing activities, with direct links to the online publications repository, promotional content slots highlighting fao publishing news, new titles, and selections of publications corresponding to specific themes and events. Agrobiodiversity underpins the development of sustainable agriculture cleveland et al. Gendersensitive statistics for agricultural development. Food and agriculture organization of the united nations, 2005. Altieri, ma 1999 the ecological role of biodiversity in agroecosystems. Many farmers associate low yield levels with poor inherent. Cabi publishing, wallingford, pp 1 wunder s, engel s, pagiola s 2008 taking stock. First, agrobiodiversity management is communitybased, and requires the support of the entire community young and old, rich and poor, men and women, boys and girls. This study provides an extremely useful and timely overview of the complexity and negative aggregate effects of the regime constellation governing agrobiodiversity at the national level. This website is provided by the savefoundationsafeguard for agricultural varieties in europe. Otherwise known as agrobiodiversity, agricultural biodiversity is a broad term that includes the variety and variability of animals, plants and microorganisms at the genetic, species. Mainstreaming agrobiodiversity in sustainable food systems. The elements overlap but each of them constitute distinctive parts that have their own rationale. Moreover, to maintain that level of productivity indefinitely it must do so using environmentally sustainable production systems.
Agrobiodiversity and sustainability linkedin slideshare. Mainstreaming agrobiodiversity in food systems is essential if they are to be sustainable. The agrobiodiversity index measures biodiversity across three domains usually disconnected. The fao claims that since the 1 900s more furthermore only 12 species of plants and 5 species of animals have come to represent 75% o f global food consumption fao 1999. We have dug into the fao archives to bring to light unpublished black and white images, which form a portfolio of evocative images of the early years of the organization. This task will be profoundly complicated by the effects of climate change, increasing competition for water resources and. This is a theoretically and empirically rich analysis, with direct policy relevance, which will stimulate much needed research into new forms of international. Agrobiodiversity for food security, health and income chadha ml 2010 shortduration mungbean.