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Seed biodiversity: life insurance for food production

 Last Update: 2022-01-21
 Source: Internet
 Author: User

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There are not many plants that provide most of the daily calories for humans, and the degree of single species is shocking
.
In fact, of the thousands of fruits and vegetables cultivated for food, fewer than 200 of them still have a place in global food production
.

However, due to climate change, invasive species, environmental pollution, urban sprawl and overuse of land, what if these species on which we are overly reliant become weaker, less productive, or even become extinct in the future? Thousands of plant species and varieties that once nurtured our ancestors have gone extinct, and the list grows every day
.
Biodiversity can be said to be the bio-insurance of food production, and it is the diversity of crops that keeps human food systems healthy and resilient, able to withstand these real threats
.

Indigenous peoples and local communities around the world are the main guardians of agricultural biodiversity
.
They are well versed in different crop varieties, know how to grow them, and have accumulated deep traditional knowledge
.
However, these groups themselves are often precarious, living in regions that are disproportionately affected by climate change or resource degradation
.

Under the UN Food and Agriculture Organization's International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the Benefit-sharing Fund for farmers in developing countries was established to support food security through the conservation and use of plant genetic diversity and help local communities cope with climate change
.
This form of cooperation is also an important way of perpetuating indigenous knowledge, and can facilitate the exchange of excellent crop varieties, helping farmers to obtain varieties adapted to their needs
.

The five Benefit-sharing Fund projects below underscore the importance of seed biodiversity
.

1.
Protection of native crop varieties in Ecuador

　　In the Cotacachi region of the Ecuadorian Andes, women are the main labor force in family-based agricultural production, and the smallholder economy is the main source of food and income
.
Local traditional crops adapted to the natural conditions of the high Andean regions form a miniature centre of agricultural diversity, recently recognized by FAO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage
.
Despite the abundance of natural resources, life for the 45 indigenous communities in the region is not easy, and the production of native crops is worsening due to climate change and land degradation
.
The Benefit-Sharing Fund works with Cotacachi's Federation of Farmers and Indigenous Organizations to help local farmers address loss of crop diversity and identify and recommend climate-resilient varieties
.

　　Two biological knowledge centres are currently under construction to help farmers obtain seeds for crops adapted to local conditions, and 30 farmers are being trained in seed production
.
The project has benefited more than 1,500 farmers and reintroduced more adaptable native species, producing food that can be consumed by farmers themselves or sold
.

　　2.
Development of drought- and disease-resistant cowpea varieties in Ghana

　　Cowpea has high nutritional value and grows well in sandy semi-arid soil, so it has received extensive attention
.
Cowpea is a crop that people living in Ghana's coastal savannah cannot do without
.
Cowpea is rich in protein, good quality and cheap, and is the basic food for more than 70% of the population of Ghana
.
However, cowpea production is seriously threatened by the parasitic weed Striga gesnerioides, which reduces yields by up to 80-100%
.

　　With funding from the Benefit-sharing Fund, the University of Cape Coast conducted a detailed evaluation of different varieties of cowpea, and selected seven new cowpea varieties with drought and unicorn resistance.
Register, put to use
.
Thanks to the combined efforts of researchers, scientists, farmers, breeders, technicians, seed companies and government officials, more than 1,000 farmers now grow and eat these new varieties of peas, and their incomes have increased by an average of 45 percent
.

　　3.
Finding resistant taro varieties in Malaysia

　　Taro is a root vegetable that has been widely used as food, feed and medicine in Africa, South Asia and Oceania for thousands of years, but changing climatic conditions and plant diseases threaten taro production
.
FAO's Benefit-sharing Fund, together with the Malaysian Institute of Agricultural Research and Development, is working with farmers in Malaysia and other Southeast Asian countries to protect and register resistant taro varieties
.

　　The project is building several demonstration farms and 20 farmer field schools to test new varieties
.
Five community seed banks are also under construction, which farmers can use to better protect outstanding varieties and share seeds with surrounding communities
.

　　200 small farmers who grow taro are involved in the project, and they will receive training on methods and techniques for processing, storing, transporting and selling taro
.

　　4.
Reinvigorating Mali’s indigenous rice varieties

　　Rice and millet are staple foods for Malians, but production has fallen sharply due to severe drought in 80 percent of rain-fed rice-growing areas
.

　　Through the Rural Economic Research Institute, the Benefit-sharing Fund has long-term cooperation with growers and rural communities in 69 villages to protect 266 local rice varieties, identify high-yield varieties that are drought-tolerant and flood-tolerant, and help farmers obtain seeds for planting
.
Rice seeds from Mali were recently sent to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in Norway in the Arctic
.
This seed bank is heavily guarded and serves as a safety barrier for seed biodiversity, so that even if the seed resources of certain countries or the international community are damaged or lost, they can be prepared
.

　　5.
Improvement of indigenous wheat and barley varieties in Morocco

　　Durum wheat and barley are staples in Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria, but these countries are increasingly reliant on imports as domestic production is increasingly affected by climate change and pests
.
High temperatures and droughts lead to the accumulation of salinity in soil and groundwater, making it difficult for some plant species to survive
.

　　With the help of CARDA's "Technology for Strengthening Livelihood Resilience in Drylands" project and local partners, researchers and scientists have successfully bred new varieties that are resistant to disease and adapt to climate change, and rapidly propagated through in vitro culture techniques Rare plant genotypes
.
The national breeding programs of the three countries are exchanging research results, and the project has benefited hundreds of farming communities and society as a whole
.

　　Around the world, there are many moving stories between people and plant biodiversity, please visit the FAO webpage 'Voices of Diversity' to hear from farmers, breeders and policy makers who are committed to safeguarding seed biodiversity.
their challenges, responses and concerns
.

　　Biodiversity of fruits and vegetables is decreasing at an alarming rate, which will have a devastating impact on human future food production
.
The Benefit-sharing Fund supports the sustainable management of crop genetic resources in developing countries to improve food security and has helped more than 1 million people improve their livelihoods to date
.
Farming communities clearly recognize the importance of seed resources to maintain agricultural resilience, and the Benefit-sharing Fund is working with farmers to take urgent action to protect biogenetic resources
.
We must not lose these seeds
.