Page 4 - AWA Vol.41-No.3

The genetic diversity of our plants and forests is at risk

enetic diversity is key to cre- preserves traditional practices Sustainable Development Goals
Gating more resilient agrifood and cultures worldwide, includ- and the Kunming-Montreal Global
systems that withstand challenges ing those of Indigenous Peoples, Biodiversity Framework.
such as shifting climate patterns. small-scale agricultural produc-
Since 80 percent of the food we ers, and local communities. These “Strengthening the conservation
consume is plant-based, preserv- people are the stewards of much of and sustainable use of plant genet-
ing a wide range of genetic mate- the world’s genetic resources and ic resources is not just an agricul-
rials allows farmers to grow crops biodiversity. tural priority – it is a fundamental
and varieties suited to their local The report, based primarily on necessity for ensuring a more sus-
environments, enhancing food se- information provided by 128 coun- tainable, resilient and food-secure
curity and livelihoods. future for all,” FAO Director-Gener-
tries and several international re-
As the world faces widespread search centers, highlights losses in al QU Dongyu wrote in the report’s
hunger, malnutrition and poverty, plant diversity and worrying data foreword.
exacerbated by biodiversity loss, gaps. The State of the World’s Forest
climate change, land degradation, It also offers some good news. Genetic Resources
and conflicts, there is an urgent For instance, since 2009, there has
need to halt the loss of the genetic been an eight percent increase in The Second Report on the State
resources that support agrifood the preservation of seeds or other of the World’s Forest Genetic Re-
systems. sources assesses the conservation,
plant materials in “germplasm col- sustainable use and development
The reports were published dur- lections,” helping to ensure that of the genetic resources of trees
ing the 20th Regular Session of the the genetic resources needed for and other woody plants. It finds
Commission, during which gov- future breeding programs remain that the availability of information
ernments and non-state actors re- available. The global seed market on forest genetic resources has in-
viewed the global situation and ad- increased in value from $36 billion
vocated for policies and practices in 2007 to more than $50 billion creased but remains inadequate,
that protect and promote genetic in 2020, with 40 countries (more hindering efforts to improve their
diversity in agrifood systems. than two-thirds of them develop- management.
ing countries) reporting improve-
The State of the World’s Plant Taxonomic and threat assess-
Genetic Resources for Food and ments in their seed systems, facili- ments carried out over the past
tating farmers’ adoption of suitable
Agriculture decade have increased the avail-
crop varieties. ability of information on trees and
The term “plant genetic resourc-
While global human and institu-
other woody plant species. How-
es” refers to any genetic material tional capacities have improved, ever, most such species remain in-
of plant origin with actual or poten- for instance in the greater appli-
tial value for food and agriculture, cation of efficiency-enhancing adequately studied.
including material from domesti- biotechnologies to using and There are approximately 58,000
cated and wild species. These re- conserving plant genetic resourc- tree species worldwide, about
sources can be used for food, ani- es, progress has been uneven. 1,600 woody bamboo species,
mal feed, non-food products such Strengthening these capacities is and nearly 500 species of rattans
as medicines, fuel, fibre, clothing, crucial to fully implementing the (climbing palms). Threatened tree
or ornamentals.
Second Global Plan of Action for species, about 30 percent of the to-
Supporting genetic diversity in Plant Genetic Resources for Food tal, are found worldwide, but most
agriculture goes beyond protect- and Agriculture and meeting other are located in tropical and sub-
ing species and varieties. It also global commitments, such as the tropical areas.

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