Biodiversity and the next generation Green RevolutionM. Ann Tutwiler, Director General, Bioversity InternationalGlobal Food Security Challenges , Milano Università degli Studi di Milano 7-8 August 2015
New challenge: Childhood stunting
UNICEF 2009
New challenge: Climate change reducing crop yields
Average decline in yields for eight major crops across Africa and South Asia by 2050
(Source IPCC, 2014)
New challenge: Degraded lands
Tomorrow’s formula for food production
• what we produce and consume
• how we produce and
• where we produce
– all under changing climatic conditions.
Women harvesting nuts in Bangladesh. Credit: Md. Akhlas Uddin
Agricultural & tree biodiversity is an important part of the solution
• Provides diverse nutrient content and dietary diversity through many available species and varieties within a species.
• Provides more crop options to buffer against extreme climactic events.
• Allows farmers to limit the spread of pests & diseases.
• Sustains soil health, food & habitat for important pollinators and natural pest predators.
• Provides variability to adapt to different edaphic conditions.
• Source of genetic material vital for future generations.
A diverse farming system in Burundi. Credit: Bioversity International/P.Lepoint
Stunting decreases with food system diversity
Coefficient -3.10***Adj R2 0.707
% s
tunt
ing
amon
g ch
ildre
n <5
Supply Diversity (Shannon diversity)Remans et al. GFS 2014; also adapted by SUN 2014
Ethiopia
• Controlling for # socio-economic factors including GNI, trade, infrastructure,..
• size of bullet = GNI per capita
• Low diet diversity in Ethiopia is also well reported on at individual and household level (e.g. Headey 2014, Hirvonen et al. 2014)
Kenya
Vietnam
Cambodia
Bangladesh
Senegal
Malaysia
WH
AT W
E PR
OD
UCE
Diversity on farms provides diversity of nutrients
Declerck et al 2011 FNBPhoto: Sorghum , Kenya : Credit: Bioversity/Yusuf WachiraW
HAT
WE
PRO
DU
CE
Diversity achieves multiple functions
Monoculture Diversified cropping systems
Photo credit: University of British Colombia/Sean SmuklerHO
W W
E PR
OD
UCE
In marginal areas, tailored solutions are required
• 18.4% of farmers varieties are superior to the best improved variety for maturity
• 31.4% of farmers’ varieties are superior than the best improved variety
• A yield advantage of 61% obtained from the best landrace over the best improved variety (Robe) and 23.9% of the farmers’ varieties were showing a yield advantage
HO
W W
E PR
OD
UCE
Landraces perform better than improved varieties of Durum wheat in Ethiopia
In marginal areas, integrated approaches are required
Land use mapping – dry season
WH
ERE
WE
PRO
DU
CE
Barotse floodplain, Zambia
4. Farmers test and report back by mobile phone
2. Each farmer gets a different combination of varieties
3. Environmental data (GPS, sensors) to assess adaptation
1. A broad set of varieties is evaluated
6. Detect demand for new varieties and traits
5. Farmers receive tailored variety recommendations and can order seeds
New business model needed: more consumers, producer and location specific; more co-creation
Bioversity International’s approach – objectives to impact
Consume Produce Plant
Safeguard
IMPACTImproved nutrition, incomes and other livelihood benefits
Productive and Resilient Farms,
Forests and Landscapes
Effective Genetic
Resource Conservation
and Use
Agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet
Healthy Diets
from Sustainable
Food Systems
Agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet
Photo credit: LI-BIRD/A.Subedi
www.bioversityinternational.org
Thank you