Did you know that over the last 100 years, 6,000 apple varieties have disappeared from the United States? It is estimated that 75% of vegetable and fruit varieties, including 81% of tomato varieties, have also disappeared. We call these mass extinctions.
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Food biodiversity
Whose fault is it? During the 1980s, high yield was the watchword in agriculture. We had to select the most potent varieties to withstand the intense mechanization of farming practices and move towards mass profitability. Population growth and consumer demand were the order of the day.
Today, just 200 varieties of plants feed the planet, 9 of which account for 66% of production.
- We risk losing the beauty of our world’s biodiversity and all that Nature gives us to feed us.
- Our field of action is the contents of our plates. We can do our bit by eating differently, and we explain why and how.
What are the environmental issues involved in saving biodiversity?
Biodiversity has only been used since the 1980s. It refers to all the natural living things on the planet, from microbes to humans. Biodiversity is made up of interdependent ecosystems. If one link in the chain is weakened, the stability of the entire biodiversity is threatened.
For example, 70% of crops depend on pollination. We now know that bees are becoming rare. Their disappearance is, therefore, affecting the plant ecosystem. Various plants will become extinct, to the detriment of other related ecosystems.
It is imperative that all the plant species and all the varieties of species available stop disappearing. As a farmer, the agrosystem is the first to be affected by a practice change. This ecosystem includes the soil, animals, insects, and the natural elements that make it up, such as hedges and ponds.
To encourage biodiversity, alternative management methods are proposed:
- Crop rotation and reduced tillage to preserve the living underground,
- The use of manure and the planting of legumes for natural fertilization,
- The use of agro-ecological infrastructures.
Dietary diversity refers to everything Nature offers us to meet our nutritional needs. But what is the relationship between biodiversity and the contents of our plates? Every food choice impacts the natural source concerned. If I choose to eat pasta, I prefer to eat wheat. What impact does my choice have on biodiversity?
Why promote food biodiversity?
We need to better manage current resources, particularly in light of climate change. Several associations have decided to save endangered old varieties to halt the losses. Some farmers are working to recover the seeds of local plants. Exchanges of seeds and seedlings between seed companies are helping to recreate biodiversity. Yields may be lower, but the resistance of these plants is vital. These nourishing manna adapt to today’s world with less water and no pesticides.
Plant resilience ensures greater food security. Since 2019, the FAO has issued a strong warning about the absolute imminence of stopping the ravages on biodiversity. Food diversity must be preserved by redeploying plant varieties and respecting environmental ecosystems.
The aim is to avoid a shortage of foodstuffs for the planet. Once again, the first to suffer would be the poorest populations. And yet, they live in regions where food diversity is possible. This is the case with the hyper-resistant millet, which has low water requirements and is insensitive to pests. It is grown in the Sahel, Pakistan and Bangladesh, where populations need support.
Finally, promoting food biodiversity means preserving ancestral traditions, whether agricultural, cultural or environmental. These are gestures, practices, landscapes and tastes. So that tiny spelt soup is not just a memory of your grandmother…
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