Developing Markets for Agrobiodiversity

Only four crops'maize, potatoes, rice and wheat'provide more than 90 per cent of the world's food. Increasingly, old varieties of even these crops are disappearing as farmers and consumers strive for more uniformity in food products. This narrowing of the diversity of the main components of agricultural systems has a knock-on effect on less obvious elements, such as insects that play a role in pollinating plants or controlling pests and the soil organisms that help plants extract nutrients from the soil. Also, farmers need a broad base of agrobiodiversity to be able to respond and adapt to environmental changes and to improve their production. This is especially important in the face of climate change and changing economic and political pressures. This book from Bioversity International describes a study conducted in Syria of how communities are developing markets for local products derived from neglected and underutilized plants. Based on concrete case studies, the data and processes documented in the book show the potential of biodiversity to make a significant contribution to livelihood security in communities that inhabit difficult environments with unique resources. The study also highlights the importance of local cultural knowledge and institutions in sustainable development of biodiversity markets. Published with Bioversity International.

Alessandra Giuliana is a Visiting Research Fellow in socioeconomics at Bioversity International based in Switzerland.