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