“Biodiversity for food and agriculture is the foundation of our food systems and is key to integrating highly productive agriculture, nutritious diets and environmental sustainability,” said Simon Attwood, one of the Bioversity International scientists who worked on the thematic study. “Looking at the future, understanding the drivers behind trends in global food systems is essential to address the causes of agrobiodiversity loss and, at the same time, to seize opportunities for biodiversity in supporting sustainable food production.”
The precious biodiversity that sustain our food systems is in decline, according to first-ever global report on the state of biodiversity for food and agriculture, launched by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on 22 February 2019.
Prepared under the guidance of the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture is the outcome of a country-driven process which engaged over 175 authors and more than 1,300 contributors from 91 countries. The FAO’s report presents a comprehensive picture of the current situation and use of agricultural biodiversity, providing a strong basis for the design of effective interventions towards more sustainable food systems. Bioversity International scientists contributed to the development of the publication through a thematic study focused on the importance of biodiversity in the sustainable intensification of food production.
![Roughly the length of a finger, the insects fly together by the millions and devour crops. [Tiksa Negeri/Reuters]](https://storage.googleapis.com/cgiarorg/2024/04/Tiksa-Negeri-Reuters-640x428.png)