The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture

Over the last two decades, FAO has prepared country-driven global assessments of the genetic resources of crop plants, livestock and forest trees. What has been missing (until 2019) has been an assessment of how biodiversity as a whole contributes to food and agriculture. The importance of biodiversity and its roles in the food and agriculture sector is increasingly being acknowledged in international policy agendas. This recognition needs to be translated into action. Key tasks include addressing the drivers of biodiversity loss within the food and agriculture sector and beyond, strengthening in situ and ex situ conservation measures, and increasing the uptake of management practices that promote the contributions of biodiversity to sustainable production. Coordinated and collaborative action on the part of the international community is essential. This report makes a valuable contribution to these efforts and to raising awareness of the vital importance of biodiversity to food and agriculture.