The genetic diversity of our plants and forests is at risk, new FAO reports warn
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Figure: Strengthening the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources is a fundamental necessity for ensuring a more sustainable, resilient and food-secure future for all, according to FAO Director-General QU Dongyu. ©Crop Trust
FAO NEWS 26 March 2025
Rome—Genetic diversity is key to creating more resilient agrifood systems that withstand challenges such as shifting climate patterns. Since 80 percent of the food we consume is plant-based, preserving a wide range of genetic materials allows farmers to grow crops and varieties suited to their local environments, enhancing food security and livelihoods.
As the world faces widespread hunger, malnutrition and poverty, exacerbated by biodiversity loss, climate change, land degradation, and conflicts, there is an urgent need to halt the loss of the genetic resources that support agrifood systems.
Two reports published this week under the auspices of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), emphasize the need for urgent action.
The Third Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, published on Monday, and the Second Report on the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources, published on Wednesday, reveal concerning trends in global plant and forest diversity. For example, more than 40 percent of all taxa surveyed are no longer present in at least one of the areas where they were previously cultivated or occurred naturally, while about one-third of tree species are threatened.
The reports were published during the 20th Regular Session of the Commission, during which governments and non-state actors reviewed the global situation and advocated for policies and practices that protect and promote genetic diversity in agrifood systems.
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