Biodiversity and Food Security
A Lecture
By
Mr. Allah Dad Khan
Former DG Agriculture Extension
KP
Visiting Professor
The University of Agriculture
Peshawar
CHALLENGES FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
 Four of major global challenges identified by the UN are:
 Energy crisis in World
 Climate change in World
 Food insecurity through out world
 Loss of biodiversity from world
 2010-2020: Decade of Biodiversity
 2010: International Year of Biodiversity
 2011: International Year of Forests
INTERNATIONAL BIODIVERSITY SCENARIOS
WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY?
 The full range of variety and variability within and among
living organisms and the ecological complexes in which
they occur.
 It encompasses:
– Ecosystem or community diversity
– Species diversity
– Genetic diversity
(US Congressional Biodiversity Act, 1990)
CURRENT STATUS OF BIODIVERSITY
 Approximately 250,000 to 300,000 are edible plant species
 Animals provide 30% of human requirements for food and
agriculture
 More than 20,000 species are used for medicinal purposes
 Of the world’s 5,490 mammals,
– 78 are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild
– 188 Critically Endangered
– 540 Endangered
– 492 Vulnerable
IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY
 Essential role for providing food security:
– Cereals Crops
– Pulses Crops
– Vegetables Crops
– Fruits Crops
– Spices/ condiments Crops
– Medicines Plants
CHALLENGES TO BIODIVERSITY
 Human population growth
 Pollution and diseases
 Habitat loss and degradation
 Introduction of invasive alien species
 Over-exploitation of natural resources
 Global climate change
 Energy crisis
 International trade of game species
BIODIVERSITY HOT SPOTS
http://www.biologie.uni-hamburg.de/b-online/bonn/Biodiv_mapping/phytodiv.htm
HUMAN POPULATION IN BIODIVERSITY HOT SPOTS
Cincotta, R.P., J. Wisnewski and R. Engelman. 1999. Human population in the
biodiversity hotspots, Nature, 404: 990-992
WE ARE LOSING BIODIVERSITY AT ACCELERATED
RATE!
CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY
Thuiller, W. 2007. Biodiversity: Climate change and the ecologist. Nature, 448: 550-552.
AGROBIODIVERSITY?
 “Agrobiodiversity is understood as a set of social
construction of habitats and cultures together with
agricultural systems containing diversity of species and
landscapes, appears to become important in addressing
issues such as food security and poverty reduction”
(Valentina, 2010)
COMPONENTS OF AGROBIODIVERSITY
http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5609e/y5609e01.htm
HUMAN DEPENDENCE ON BIODIVERSITY
 75% of the world’s food generated from only 12 plant and 5
animal species
 Only three crops (rice, maize and wheat) contribute ~ 60% of
calories and proteins obtained by humans from plants
FAO, 1999
GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES OF FOOD INSECURITY
 Every five seconds a child below ten years of age dies from
hunger
 Every day 25,000 people die from hunger, or immediately-
related causes
 Over one billion people are gravely or permanently
undernourished
BIODIVERSITY AND FOOD SECURITY
 Rapid decline in biodiversity is a threat to food security
through
– Introduction of exotic species
– Loss of gene pool
– Neglected/underutilized species
– Monocultures
– Biofuels
BIODIVERSITY AND FOOD SECURITY
 Since the 1900s, 75 % of plant genetic diversity has been
lost as farmers have worldwide left their multiple local
varieties and landraces for genetically uniform, high-yielding
varieties
 These varieties require more water, high input of chemical
fertilizers and pesticides which deteriorate the environment
– increased salinity
– increased waterlogging
– depletion of nutrients
 Use of few genetically modified varieties and breeds in
monocultures has replaced well-adapted old cultivars
 30 % of livestock breeds are at risk of extinction; six breeds
are lost each month
INTRODUCED SPECIES/CROPS
 Introduced species rank second to habitat destruction in
threatening the biodiversity
 They compete with native flora/fauna for resources and
competitively exclude native species
 They rapidly invade valuable cultivated lands (Mesquite)
 Accompany new pests and weeds (Mealybug infestation)
 Retard seed germination and plant growth of native plants by
releasing allelopathic chemicals (Eucalyptus & Parthenium)
Mealybug
Mealybug infestation
Eucalyptus
Parthenium
Prosopis glandulosa
INTRODUCED SPECIES/CROPS
ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS
 Biodiversity is being eroded through:
– Soil mismanagement (erosion, pollution)
– Salinization of irrigated areas
– Dry-land degradation from overgrazing
– Over-extraction of ground water
– increasing susceptibility to diseases and pests
Erosion Salinization OvergrazingDrought Deep water-table
MONOCULTURE VS POLYCULTURE
 A key component of maintenance of biodiversity is the
introduction and maintenance of high genetic diversity in the
fields
 Genetically different plants can complement each other
using different resource niches (long-rooted and shallow
rooted crops), thereby increasing overall resource use
efficiency
 This idea leads to the hypothesis that the advantage of using
crop diversity over using monocultures may increase along a
gradient of increasing environmental variability
 In this regard, Döring et al. (2010) showed that the yield
advantage of diverse populations over monocultures was
particularly prevalent under stress conditions, i.e. when the
environment affects yields negatively
MONOCULTURE VS POLYCULTURE
http://www.efrc.com/manage/authincludes/article_uploads/Research/Plant breeding/WBL web.pdf
Polyculture: Food Activists Poised for Fight
Socioeconomic Liberty, Wellness, Justice and Prosperity
Karen Hansen, Feb 6, 2010
EROSION OF GENETIC RESOURCES
 Results when:
– modern varieties displace traditional ones
– minor and underutilized crops are neglected
Triticum durum + Triticum aestivumTriticum dicoccoides X Triticum spelta
Triticum Emmer + Triticum dicoccon + Triticum tauschii X Triticum speltoides
NEGLECTED AND UNDERUTILIZED SPECIES
 The ignorance of cultivation of underutilized (i.e. millets and
sorghum) and neglected species (finger millet) also classified
as 'minor crops‘ is also a cause for the considerable erosion
of biodiversity
Pearl millet Finger millet Sorghum
BIOFUELS AND FOOD SECURITY
 Currently, biofuels have been praised as a solution to energy
insecurity and climate change
 Increased conversion of agricultural commodities to biofuels
plays a key role in increasing international food prices
(United Nations, 2007)
 Approximately 70-75% of the increase in food commodity
prices from 2002 to 2008 was mainly due to biofuels (World
Bank )
 Subsidies and other fiscal tools aimed at promoting the use
of biofuels, have decisively contributed to a rising demand
for sugar, maize, wheat, oilseeds, and palm oil
 A food/fuel competition could be observed as global wheat
and maize stocks are declining considerably
BIOFUELS AND FOOD SECURITY
http://www.thebioenergysite.com/articles/200/eu-and-uks-progress-to-biofuel-introduction
IN SITU CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
 Conservation of biodiversity in the natural habitat of a
species in the form of:
– Living collections
– Germplasm banks (in the form of seeds, embryos, in vitro tissues,
cells, tissue culture seedlings, or DNA clones)
EX SITU CONSERVATION OF BIODIVERSITY
 It seems difficult to conserve some species in their natural
environment then it becomes necessary to protect them in
the form of ex situ conservation by establishing:
– Botanical gardens and
– Germplasm nurseries
GERMPLASM RESOURCES
BOTANICAL GARDENS
 The history of botanic gardens can be traced as far back as
the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, built by Nebuchadnezzar
in 570 BC as a gift to his wife.
 Early botanic gardens were designed mainly for the purpose
of recreation.
 By the 16th Century, however, they had also become
important centers for research.
 They promoted the study of taxonomy and became a focal
point for the study of aromatic and medicinal plants.
 Recently, they have taken on significant conservation
responsibilities by establishing seed banks and tissue culture
units.
BOTANICAL GARDENS
 Now more than 2000 botanic gardens are known around the
world in over 150 countries
 They maintain more than 6 million accessions in their living
collections and 142 million herbaria specimens.
 Botanical gardens conservation could be considered as field
gene bank or seed gene bank or both, depending on the
conservation method being used.
 Karachi University has established a superb botanical
garden a few years ago
FIRSRT CENTER FOR BIODIVERSITY AND
CONSERVATION IN PAKISTAN
 Established at Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Sindh,
Pakistan on December 24, 2009
 The Centre includes three divisions:
– 1. Floristic Diversity Division
– 2. Faunistic Diversity Division
– 3. Environmental Science Division
SAVING MANGROVE FORESTS
DAWN Lahore, Friday, February 11, 2011
Over 30% mangrove forests in the
world have already gone
CONSERVATION OF WETLANDS
DAWN Lahore, Wednesday, February 9, 2011
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
 Promotion of polyculture along with monoculture
 Promotion of awareness about the importance of biodiversity
 Changes in the attitude of scientists, students, teachers and
general public towards biodiversity
 Government policies also need to be redesigned for
practically effective conservation of biodiversity
 Subsidies to farmers for the cultivation of old neglected,
underutilized and old crop cultivars
 Promotion of research relating to evaluation of national
germplasm of cultivated crops to maintain their viability
 Establishment of gene banks of cultivated crops at regional
level
IN WHAT FUTURE WE WILL BE LIVING?
ORWITH
WITH
We do not inherit earth from our ancestors, we have just
borrowed it from our children - Native American Proverb
34. Biodiversity and food security  A Presentation By Mr. Allah  Dad Khan  Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture Peshawar allahdad52@gmail.com

34. Biodiversity and food security A Presentation By Mr. Allah Dad Khan Visiting Professor the University of Agriculture Peshawar [email protected]

  • 2.
    Biodiversity and FoodSecurity A Lecture By Mr. Allah Dad Khan Former DG Agriculture Extension KP Visiting Professor The University of Agriculture Peshawar
  • 4.
    CHALLENGES FOR SUSTAINABLEDEVELOPMENT  Four of major global challenges identified by the UN are:  Energy crisis in World  Climate change in World  Food insecurity through out world  Loss of biodiversity from world
  • 5.
     2010-2020: Decadeof Biodiversity  2010: International Year of Biodiversity  2011: International Year of Forests INTERNATIONAL BIODIVERSITY SCENARIOS
  • 6.
    WHAT IS BIODIVERSITY? The full range of variety and variability within and among living organisms and the ecological complexes in which they occur.  It encompasses: – Ecosystem or community diversity – Species diversity – Genetic diversity (US Congressional Biodiversity Act, 1990)
  • 7.
    CURRENT STATUS OFBIODIVERSITY  Approximately 250,000 to 300,000 are edible plant species  Animals provide 30% of human requirements for food and agriculture  More than 20,000 species are used for medicinal purposes  Of the world’s 5,490 mammals, – 78 are Extinct or Extinct in the Wild – 188 Critically Endangered – 540 Endangered – 492 Vulnerable
  • 8.
    IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY Essential role for providing food security: – Cereals Crops – Pulses Crops – Vegetables Crops – Fruits Crops – Spices/ condiments Crops – Medicines Plants
  • 9.
    CHALLENGES TO BIODIVERSITY Human population growth  Pollution and diseases  Habitat loss and degradation  Introduction of invasive alien species  Over-exploitation of natural resources  Global climate change  Energy crisis  International trade of game species
  • 10.
  • 11.
    HUMAN POPULATION INBIODIVERSITY HOT SPOTS Cincotta, R.P., J. Wisnewski and R. Engelman. 1999. Human population in the biodiversity hotspots, Nature, 404: 990-992
  • 12.
    WE ARE LOSINGBIODIVERSITY AT ACCELERATED RATE!
  • 13.
    CLIMATE CHANGE ANDBIODIVERSITY Thuiller, W. 2007. Biodiversity: Climate change and the ecologist. Nature, 448: 550-552.
  • 14.
    AGROBIODIVERSITY?  “Agrobiodiversity isunderstood as a set of social construction of habitats and cultures together with agricultural systems containing diversity of species and landscapes, appears to become important in addressing issues such as food security and poverty reduction” (Valentina, 2010)
  • 15.
  • 16.
    HUMAN DEPENDENCE ONBIODIVERSITY  75% of the world’s food generated from only 12 plant and 5 animal species  Only three crops (rice, maize and wheat) contribute ~ 60% of calories and proteins obtained by humans from plants FAO, 1999
  • 17.
    GLOBAL CONSEQUENCES OFFOOD INSECURITY  Every five seconds a child below ten years of age dies from hunger  Every day 25,000 people die from hunger, or immediately- related causes  Over one billion people are gravely or permanently undernourished
  • 18.
    BIODIVERSITY AND FOODSECURITY  Rapid decline in biodiversity is a threat to food security through – Introduction of exotic species – Loss of gene pool – Neglected/underutilized species – Monocultures – Biofuels
  • 19.
    BIODIVERSITY AND FOODSECURITY  Since the 1900s, 75 % of plant genetic diversity has been lost as farmers have worldwide left their multiple local varieties and landraces for genetically uniform, high-yielding varieties  These varieties require more water, high input of chemical fertilizers and pesticides which deteriorate the environment – increased salinity – increased waterlogging – depletion of nutrients  Use of few genetically modified varieties and breeds in monocultures has replaced well-adapted old cultivars  30 % of livestock breeds are at risk of extinction; six breeds are lost each month
  • 20.
    INTRODUCED SPECIES/CROPS  Introducedspecies rank second to habitat destruction in threatening the biodiversity  They compete with native flora/fauna for resources and competitively exclude native species  They rapidly invade valuable cultivated lands (Mesquite)  Accompany new pests and weeds (Mealybug infestation)  Retard seed germination and plant growth of native plants by releasing allelopathic chemicals (Eucalyptus & Parthenium)
  • 21.
  • 22.
    ANTHROPOGENIC THREATS  Biodiversityis being eroded through: – Soil mismanagement (erosion, pollution) – Salinization of irrigated areas – Dry-land degradation from overgrazing – Over-extraction of ground water – increasing susceptibility to diseases and pests Erosion Salinization OvergrazingDrought Deep water-table
  • 23.
    MONOCULTURE VS POLYCULTURE A key component of maintenance of biodiversity is the introduction and maintenance of high genetic diversity in the fields  Genetically different plants can complement each other using different resource niches (long-rooted and shallow rooted crops), thereby increasing overall resource use efficiency  This idea leads to the hypothesis that the advantage of using crop diversity over using monocultures may increase along a gradient of increasing environmental variability  In this regard, Döring et al. (2010) showed that the yield advantage of diverse populations over monocultures was particularly prevalent under stress conditions, i.e. when the environment affects yields negatively
  • 24.
  • 25.
    Polyculture: Food ActivistsPoised for Fight Socioeconomic Liberty, Wellness, Justice and Prosperity Karen Hansen, Feb 6, 2010
  • 26.
    EROSION OF GENETICRESOURCES  Results when: – modern varieties displace traditional ones – minor and underutilized crops are neglected Triticum durum + Triticum aestivumTriticum dicoccoides X Triticum spelta Triticum Emmer + Triticum dicoccon + Triticum tauschii X Triticum speltoides
  • 27.
    NEGLECTED AND UNDERUTILIZEDSPECIES  The ignorance of cultivation of underutilized (i.e. millets and sorghum) and neglected species (finger millet) also classified as 'minor crops‘ is also a cause for the considerable erosion of biodiversity Pearl millet Finger millet Sorghum
  • 28.
    BIOFUELS AND FOODSECURITY  Currently, biofuels have been praised as a solution to energy insecurity and climate change  Increased conversion of agricultural commodities to biofuels plays a key role in increasing international food prices (United Nations, 2007)  Approximately 70-75% of the increase in food commodity prices from 2002 to 2008 was mainly due to biofuels (World Bank )  Subsidies and other fiscal tools aimed at promoting the use of biofuels, have decisively contributed to a rising demand for sugar, maize, wheat, oilseeds, and palm oil  A food/fuel competition could be observed as global wheat and maize stocks are declining considerably
  • 29.
    BIOFUELS AND FOODSECURITY http://www.thebioenergysite.com/articles/200/eu-and-uks-progress-to-biofuel-introduction
  • 30.
    IN SITU CONSERVATIONOF BIODIVERSITY  Conservation of biodiversity in the natural habitat of a species in the form of: – Living collections – Germplasm banks (in the form of seeds, embryos, in vitro tissues, cells, tissue culture seedlings, or DNA clones)
  • 31.
    EX SITU CONSERVATIONOF BIODIVERSITY  It seems difficult to conserve some species in their natural environment then it becomes necessary to protect them in the form of ex situ conservation by establishing: – Botanical gardens and – Germplasm nurseries
  • 32.
  • 33.
    BOTANICAL GARDENS  Thehistory of botanic gardens can be traced as far back as the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, built by Nebuchadnezzar in 570 BC as a gift to his wife.  Early botanic gardens were designed mainly for the purpose of recreation.  By the 16th Century, however, they had also become important centers for research.  They promoted the study of taxonomy and became a focal point for the study of aromatic and medicinal plants.  Recently, they have taken on significant conservation responsibilities by establishing seed banks and tissue culture units.
  • 34.
    BOTANICAL GARDENS  Nowmore than 2000 botanic gardens are known around the world in over 150 countries  They maintain more than 6 million accessions in their living collections and 142 million herbaria specimens.  Botanical gardens conservation could be considered as field gene bank or seed gene bank or both, depending on the conservation method being used.  Karachi University has established a superb botanical garden a few years ago
  • 35.
    FIRSRT CENTER FORBIODIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION IN PAKISTAN  Established at Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Sindh, Pakistan on December 24, 2009  The Centre includes three divisions: – 1. Floristic Diversity Division – 2. Faunistic Diversity Division – 3. Environmental Science Division
  • 36.
    SAVING MANGROVE FORESTS DAWNLahore, Friday, February 11, 2011
  • 37.
    Over 30% mangroveforests in the world have already gone
  • 38.
    CONSERVATION OF WETLANDS DAWNLahore, Wednesday, February 9, 2011
  • 39.
    WHAT CAN BEDONE?  Promotion of polyculture along with monoculture  Promotion of awareness about the importance of biodiversity  Changes in the attitude of scientists, students, teachers and general public towards biodiversity  Government policies also need to be redesigned for practically effective conservation of biodiversity  Subsidies to farmers for the cultivation of old neglected, underutilized and old crop cultivars  Promotion of research relating to evaluation of national germplasm of cultivated crops to maintain their viability  Establishment of gene banks of cultivated crops at regional level
  • 40.
    IN WHAT FUTUREWE WILL BE LIVING? ORWITH WITH
  • 41.
    We do notinherit earth from our ancestors, we have just borrowed it from our children - Native American Proverb