The genetic diversity of our plants & forests is at risk, new FAO reports warn | FAO News

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 & varieties suited to their local environments, enhancing food security & livelihoods.

As the world faces widespread hunger, malnutrition & poverty, exacerbated by biodiversity loss, climate change, land degradation, & 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 & Agriculture, under the Food & 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 & Agriculture, published on Monday, & the Second Report on the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources, published on Wednesday, reveal concerning trends in global plant & 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 & non-state actors reviewed the global situation & advocated for policies & practices that protect & promote genetic diversity in agrifood systems.

The State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food & Agriculture

The term “plant genetic resources” refers to any genetic material of plant origin with actual or potential value for food & agriculture, including material from domesticated & wild species. These resources can be used for food, animal feed, non-food products such as medicines, fuel, fibre, clothing, or ornamentals.

Supporting genetic diversity in agriculture goes beyond protecting species & varieties. It also preserves traditional practices & cultures worldwide, including those of Indigenous Peoples, small-scale agricultural producers, & local communities. These people are the stewards of much of the world’s genetic resources & biodiversity.

FAO’s Third Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food & Agriculture provides a global assessment of the status of the conservation & sustainable use of plant genetic resources.

The report, based primarily on information provided by 128 countries & several international research centers, highlights losses in plant diversity & worrying data gaps.

It also offers some good news. For instance, since 2009, there has been an eight percent increase in the preservation of seeds or other plant materials in “germplasm collections,” helping to ensure that the genetic resources needed for future breeding programs remain available. The global seed market increased in value from $36 billion in 2007 to more than $50 billion in 2020, with 40 countries (more than two-thirds of them developing countries) reporting improvements in their seed systems, facilitating farmers’ adoption of suitable crop varieties.

While global human & institutional capacities have improved, for instance in the greater application of efficiency-enhancing biotechnologies to using & conserving plant genetic resources, progress has been uneven. Strengthening these capacities is crucial to fully implementing the Second Global Plan of Action for Plant Genetic Resources for Food & Agriculture & meeting other global commitments, such as the Sustainable Development Goals & the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.

“Strengthening the conservation & sustainable use of plant genetic resources is not just an agricultural priority – it is a fundamental necessity for ensuring a more sustainable, resilient & food-secure future for all,” FAO Director-General QU Dongyu wrote in the report’s foreword. 

The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources

The Second Report on the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources assesses the conservation, sustainable use & development of the genetic resources of trees & other woody plants. It finds that the availability of information on forest genetic resources has increased but remains inadequate, hindering efforts to improve their management.

Taxonomic & threat assessments carried out over the past decade have increased the availability of information on trees & other woody plant species. However, most such species remain inadequately studied.

There are approximately 58,000 tree species worldwide, about 1,600 woody bamboo species, & nearly 500 species of rattans (climbing palms). Threatened tree species, about 30 percent of the total, are found worldwide, but most are located in tropical & subtropical areas.

The report found that nearly two-thirds of countries maintain national inventories of forest genetic resources, gathering information from various stakeholders. Globally, countries reported more than 2,800 species of trees & other woody plants, of which nearly 1,800 have been genetically characterized. Approximately 1,400 & 1,100 species are included in in situ & ex situ conservation programs, respectively.

Globally, deforestation, forest degradation, climate change, fires, pests, diseases, & invasive species are threatening many trees & other woody plant species & eroding their genetic diversity. The report found that common & widely distributed tree species retain much of their genetic diversity, while rare & threatened species have lost significant amounts.

More than two-thirds of countries have national tree-seed programs, but many are experiencing shortages of seed & other reproductive materials. This poses challenges for establishing new forests & achieving the target of a three-percent increase in the global forest area by 2030.

Although countries reported many examples of how forest genetic resources have contributed to sustainable development, international awareness of their importance remains low. This & other gaps require reinforced efforts to implement the Global Plan of Action for the Conservation, Sustainable Use & Development of Forest Genetic Resources.

“Investing in forest genetic resources & managing them sustainably will enable the adaption of the world’s forests to climate change while also increasing productivity & developing new products; it will help safeguard human well-being & maintain forest health,” the FAO Director-General wrote in the report’s foreword.