Biodiversity is decreasing and the losses will be counted in animal, plant and microorganism species and will be forever. This is what emerges from the latest FAO report, focused on the analysis of the condition of those organisms that allow food and agricultural production, at the genetic, species and ecosystem levels, entitled " State of the world's biodiversity for food and agriculture ".
A not exactly rosy horizon for man, who is starting to deal concretely with a lifestyle that has not taken particular account of the ecosystem he inhabits, on which, indeed, he has often imposed himself.
The study in question is based on the analysis of data from 91 countries, which shows that 24% of approximately 4,000 wild food species (plants, fish and mammals) are declining. Biodiversity is the basis of the balances that support life on Earth and therefore "the future of our food, livelihoods, human health and the environment. Once lost - warns the Report - food and agricultural biodiversity cannot be recovered".
A cry of alarm from the FAO, especially if you read the numbers: of the approximately 6,000 species of plants cultivated for food, less than 200 represent a substantial resource for food, and consider that only 9 of these represent 66% of global production. As for livestock farming, world production is based on approximately 40 animal species: only a very small part of these provides the largest slice of meat, milk and egg production. While of the 7,745 local livestock breeds, 26% are at risk of extinction. The situation in the fishing sector is almost worse: almost a third of stocks are over-exploited, while more than half have reached the limit of sustainability.
FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva concludes: “Biodiversity is essential to safeguard global food security. We must use it sustainably, to better respond to the growing challenges of climate change and produce food without harming the environment."
Main causes of Biodiversity loss
The key drivers of biodiversity loss cited by most countries are: changes in land and water use and management, followed by pollution, overexploitation, climate change, population growth and urbanization.
In the case of associated biodiversity, while all regions report habitat loss and alteration as major threats, other key factors depend on the specific geographical area. Examples are overexploitation, hunting and poaching in Africa; deforestation, land use changes and agricultural intensification in Europe and Central Asia; overexploitation, pests, diseases and invasive species in Latin America and the Caribbean; overexploitation in the Near East and North Africa and deforestation in Asia.
Best practices on the rise
Some good news emerges from the report: there is growing interest in biodiversity-friendly practices and approaches: 80% of the 91 countries report using one or more biodiversity-friendly practices and approaches such as organic farming , the use of “good” insects , conservation agriculture, sustainable soil management, agroecology, more sustainable forest management, agroforestry, diversification practices in aquaculture, an ecosystem-based approach to fisheries and ecosystem restoration.
Coldiretti warns: 3 out of 4 fruits have disappeared in Italy
On the same day as the FAO conference, Coldiretti also launched a powerful message: “In Italy, three out of four varieties of fruit have disappeared from the table in the last century, also due to the effect of modern destruction systems that favor large quantities and the standardization of the offer”.
“In Italy, in the last century - he continues - there were 8,000 varieties of fruit, while today there are just under 2,000. Of these, 1,500 are considered at risk of extinction, but the loss of biodiversity concerns the entire agricultural system. A danger that also concerns the 1.7 million cows, pigs, sheep and goats that have disappeared in the last ten years. As many as 130 breeds are threatened with extinction. A danger - according to Coldiretti - for producers and consumers due to the loss of a food, cultural and environmental heritage of Made in Italy ”.
Conservation efforts, both on-site (e.g. protected areas, farm management) and off-site (e.g. gene banks, zoos, culture collections, botanical gardens) are increasing globally, although levels of coverage and protection are often inadequate.
Biodiversity loss: how to reverse the trend
Doing more to strengthen legislation, create incentives and benefit- sharing measures, promote initiatives in favour of biodiversity and address the main causes of its loss: this is what the FAO report urges, calling on governments and the international community to take action.
Efforts to improve the state of knowledge on biodiversity also need to be intensified, as many information gaps remain, particularly for associated species. Many of these species have never been identified and described , particularly invertebrates and microorganisms . Over 99% of bacterial and protist species, and their impact on food and agriculture, remain unknown.
Suggestions include improving collaboration between policy makers, producer organisations, consumers, the private sector and civil society organisations in the food, agriculture and environmental sectors.
Furthermore, according to FAO, it would be necessary to explore opportunities to develop more markets for biodiversity-friendly products .
The public can also reduce pressures on food and agricultural biodiversity. Consumers can choose sustainably grown products, buy from farmers markets, or boycott foods that are considered unsustainable. In several countries, "citizen scientists" play an important role in monitoring food and agricultural biodiversity.
Examples of
In Gambia , massive losses of wild foods have forced communities to resort to alternatives, often industrially produced foods, to supplement their diets.
In Egypt , rising temperatures will lead to northward shifts in fish species ranges, with impacts on production.
In Nepal, labor shortages, remittance flows from abroad, and the increasing availability of cheap alternative products on local markets have contributed to the abandonment of many local crops.
In the Amazon forests of Peru , climate change is predicted to lead to “savannization,” with negative impacts on wild food supplies.
California farmers are allowing their rice fields to flood in the winter instead of burning them after the growing season. This provides 270,000 acres of wetlands and open space for 230 species of birds, many at risk of extinction. As a result, many species have increased, and the number of ducks has doubled.
In France , approximately 300,000 hectares of land are managed using agro-ecological principles.
In Kiribati , integrated farming of shellfish, marsh fish, sea cucumbers and seaweed provides a steady supply of food and income, and despite changing weather conditions, at least one component of the system always produces food.
Biodiversity is a delicate heritage of inestimable value, on which we all depend, which we should preserve, also thanks to the purchase and conscious consumption of local and certified organic products, always remembering that we are guests on this Earth.
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