Food Security: Why is Biodiversity Important?

International Forestry Review 13(3):265-274. 2011 
https://doi.org/10.1505/146554811798293908

Sécurité des aliments: pourquoi la biodiverstiré est-elle importante?
Seguridad alimentaria: ¿por qué es importante la biodiversidad?

Author

T.C.H. Sunderland

[-] Author & Article Info

Author Affiliations

T.C.H. Sunderland

Centre for International Forestry Research, Jl. CIFOR, Situ Cede, Sindang Barang, Bogor 16680, Indonesia

SUMMARY

Agriculture and biodiversity have often been regarded as separate concerns. Although biodiversity underpins much of modern agriculture, the development of contemporary production systems has resulted in extensive land conversion and concomitant biodiversity loss. In order to feed an ever growing population, innovative and acceptable ways of integrating biodiversity conservation and food production need to be identified. Maintaining diversity within agricultural systems is not a novel approach but one practiced by many smallholder farmers globally, in many different ways. The nutritional and livelihood benefits of diverse production systems are one way of achieving food security. Such systems are also more resilient to climate induced events or other shocks. Forests represent an important repository of food and other resources that can play a key role in contributing towards food security, especially if integrated into complex systems that are managed for multiple benefits.

L'agriculture et la biodiversité ont souvent été considérées comme des questions différentes. Bien que la biodiverstité soutienne une grande partie de l'agriculture moderne, le développement des systèmes de production contemporains a résulté en une conversion poussée de la terre, et en une perte de la biodivesrité s'y attachant. Pour nourrir une population en croissance permanente, il est nécessaire d'identifier des manières innovatives et acceptables d'intégrer la conservation de la biodiversité à la production alimentaire. Le maintien de la diverstiré au sein des systèmes d'agriculture n'est pas une nouvelle approche, étant déjà pratiquée par par nombre de petits fermiers globalement, de toutes sortes de façons. Les bénéfices nutritionnels et pour les revenus de divers systèmes de production ne sont qu'une manière de parvenir à la sécurité alimentaire. De tels systèmes sont également plus résistants aux événements résultant du climat et à d'autres chocs. Les forêts représentent un dépôt important de nourriture et d'autres ressources pouvant jouer un rôle clé dans la contribution à la sécurité alimentaire, et ce, particulièrement s'il est intégré dans des systèmes complexes gérés en vue de bénéfices multiples.

A menudo las preocupaciones por los temas de agricultura y biodiversidad han seguido caminos separados. Aunque la biodiversidad es en gran medida una de las bases de la agricultura moderna, el desarrollo de los sistemas de production actuales ha resultado en una considerable conversión del suelo y una pérdida de biodiversidad concomitante. Para poder alimentar a una población cada vez mayor, es necesario identificar maneras innovadoras y aceptables de integrar la conservation de la biodiversidad con la producción de alimentos. El mantenimiento de la diversidad dentro de los sistemas agrícolas no es una idea novedosa, pero es algo que practican de diferentes maneras un gran número de pequeños productores en todo el mundo. Los beneficios de los sistemas de producción diversos en cuanto a nutrición y a los medios de subsistencia son una manera de alcanzar la seguridad alimentaria. Dichos sistemas son al mismo tiempo más resistentes y adaptables a eventos climáticos u otros impactos. Los bosques representan un almacén importante de alimentos y otros recursos que pueden tener un papel clave a la hora de contribuir a la seguridad alimentaria, especialmente cuando están integrados en sistemas complejos gestionados con vistas a obtener múltiples beneficios.

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