A new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has warned that the genetic diversity of plants and forests is at risk.
The Third Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, and the Second Report on the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources, were published in recent days.
FAO said the reports reveal concerning trends in global plant and forest diversity. As the world faces widespread malnutrition, exacerbated by biodiversity loss, there is an urgent need to halt the loss of the genetic resources that support agri-food systems.
The organisation said genetic diversity is key to creating more resilient agri-food systems that withstand challenges such as shifting climate patterns.
Plant genetic resources
FAO’s Third Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture provides a global assessment of the status of the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources.
The report, based primarily on information provided by 128 countries and several international research centres, highlights losses in plant diversity and worrying data gaps.
The report contained some good news – since 2009, there has been an 8% increase in the preservation of seeds or other plant materials helping to ensure that the genetic resources needed for future breeding programmes remain available.
The global seed market increased in value from $36 billion in 2007 to more than $50 billion in 2020, with 40 countries reporting improvements in their seed systems.
Forest genetic resources
The Second Report on the State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources looked at the conservation, sustainable use and development of the genetic resources of trees and other woody plants.
It found that while the availability of information on forest genetic resources had increased, it remains inadequate.
Taxonomic and threat assessments carried out over the past decade have increased the availability of information on trees and other woody plant species. However, the report found that most such species remain inadequately studied.
The report also stated that nearly two-thirds of countries maintain national inventories of forest genetic resources.
Globally, countries reported more than 2,800 species of trees and other woody plants, of which nearly 1,800 have been genetically characterised.
Globally, the report said deforestation, forest degradation, climate change, fires, pests, diseases, and invasive species are threatening many trees and other woody plant species, and eroding their genetic diversity.
The report also found that common and widely distributed tree species retain much of their genetic diversity, while rare and threatened species have lost significant amounts.
More than two-thirds of countries have national tree-seed programmes, but the report found many are experiencing shortages of seed and other reproductive materials.
The FAO said this poses challenges for establishing new forests and achieving its target of a 3% increase in the global forest area by 2030.
