Diversifying Food and Diets, Using Agricultural Biodiversity to Improve
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Diversifying Food and Diets Currently 868 million people are undernourished and 195 million children under five years of age are stunted. At the same time, over 1 billion people are overweight and obese in both the developed and developing world. Diseases previously associated with affluence, such as cancer, diabetes and cardio-vascular disease, are on the rise. Food system-based approaches to addressing these problems that could enhance food availability and diet quality through local production and agricultural biodiversity often fall outside the traditional scope of nutrition, and have been under-researched. As a consequence, there remains insufficient evidence to support well-defined, scalable agricultural biodiversity interventions that can be linked to improvements in nutrition outcomes. Agricultural biodiversity is important for food and nutritional security, as a safeguard against hunger, a source of nutrients for improved dietary diversity and quality, and strengthening local food systems and environmental sustainability. This book explores the current state of knowledge on the role of agricultural biodiversity in improving nutrition and food security. Using examples and case studies from around the globe, the book explores current strategies for improving nutrition and diets and identifies key research and implementation gaps that need to be addressed to successfully promote the better use of agricultural biodiversity for rural and urban populations, and societies in transition. Jessica Fanzo was formerly a Senior Scientist with Bioversity International and is now an Associate Professor of Nutrition at Columbia University in New York. Danny Hunter is the Global Project Coordinator at Bioversity International for the UNEP/FAO/GEF project ‘Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and sustainable use for improved human nutrition and wellbeing’ and Adjunct Associate Professor, School of Agriculture and Wine Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Australia. Teresa Borelli is a Programme Specialist at Bioversity International working for the UNEP/FAO/GEF project ‘Mainstreaming biodiversity conservation and sustainable use for improved human nutrition and wellbeing’. Federico Mattei was formerly a Programme Specialist in the Nutrition and Marketing division at Bioversity International in Rome. Issues in Agricultural Biodiversity Series editors: Michael Halewood and Danny Hunter This series of books is published by Earthscan in association with Bioversity International. The aim of the series is to review the current state of knowledge in topical issues associated with agricultural biodiversity, to identify gaps in our knowledge base, to synthesize lessons learned and to propose future research and development actions. The overall objective is to increase the sustainable use of biodiversity in improving people’s well-being and food and nutrition security. The series’ scope is all aspects of agricultural biodiversity, ranging from conservation biology of genetic resources through social sciences to policy and legal aspects. It also covers the fields of research, education, communication and coordination, information management and knowledge sharing. Published titles: Diversifying Food and Diets Using agricultural biodiversity to improve Crop Wild Relatives nutrition and health A manual of in situ conservation Edited by Jessica Fanzo, Danny Hunter, Edited by Danny Hunter and Teresa Borelli and Federico Mattei Vernon Heywood Forthcoming titles: The Economics of Managing Crop Diversity On-farm Community Biodiversity Case studies from the genetic resources Management policy initiative Promoting resilience and the conservation Edited by Edilegnaw Wale, Adam Drucker of plant genetic resources and Kerstin Zander Edited by Walter S. de Boef, Abishkar Subedi, Nivaldo Peroni and Marja Thijssen Plant Genetic Resources and Food Security Farmers’ Crop Varieties and Farmers’ Stakeholder perspectives on the Rights International Treaty on Plant Genetic Challenges in taxonomy and law Resources for Food and Agriculture Edited by Michael Halewood Edited by Christine Frison, Francisco López and José T. Esquinas Crop Genetic Resources as a Global Commons Challenges in international law and governance Edited by Michael Halewood, Isabel López Noriega and Selim Louafi This first edition published 2013 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon, OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 711 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group, an informa business © 2013 Bioversity International All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. Trademark notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Diversifying food and diets : using agricultural biodiversity to improve nutrition and health / edited by Jessica Fanzo, Danny Hunter, Teresa Borelli, and Federico Mattei. – First edition. pages cm. – (Issues in agricultural biodiversity) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Agrobiodiversity. 2. Nutrition – Environmental aspects. I. Fanzo, Jessica, editor of compilation. II. Hunter, Danny, editor of compilation. III. Borelli, Teresa, editor of compilation. IV. Mattei, Federico, editor of compilation. S494.5.A43D58 2013 333.95–dc23 2012037893 ISBN: 978-1-84971-456-3 (hbk) ISBN: 978-1-84971-457-0 (pbk) ISBN: 978-0-203-12726-1 (ebk) Typeset in Bembo by HWA Text and Data Management, London This book is dedicated to Lois Englberger, who passed away on the 29 September 2011 before she could see this book published. With our enormous gratitude and admiration for her work. ‘At a time where fortification is widely promoted as the most effective solution to address micro-nutrient deficiencies, this book serves as an important reminder that nature provides an almost infinite variety of food species which are disregarded and therefore pushed into oblivion and extinction by the prevailing food production system. It is urgent to remind policy makers that agriculture is primarily about using natural resources to feed people. Sustainable development will only happen if we manage such resources in a sustainable way, building on local cultures, protecting and strengthening livelihoods, and ensuring good nutrition and health.’ – Florence Egal, Food Security, Nutrition and Livelihoods, Nutrition Division FAO ‘This book is important and deserves a wide readership. Only once governments are convinced of the importance of agricultural biodiversity shall they implement the policies that are urgently required to move away from the direction of agricultural development that is dominant today – one that favors uniformity over diversity, top-down research and development on new crops rather than bottom-up and participatory approaches, and monocropping over integrated farming systems.’ – From the foreword by Olivier De Schutter, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to food ‘I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the authors and partner organizations on this milestone publication. Their work offers a comprehensive summary of contemporary information and good practices, identifies gaps in research and provides insight on potential opportunities for a variety of policy options. I look forward to more sustainable management of biodiversity in all ecosystems, but particularly in agricultural ecosystems, where we can truly achieve a healthy partnership between people and the planet.’ – From the foreword by Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias, Convention on Biological Diversity Contents List of figures x List of tables xiii List of boxes xv List of contributors xvi Foreword by Olivier De Schutter xix Foreword by Braulio Ferreira de Souza Dias xxiii Preface xxv Acknowledgements xxvii List of abbreviations and acronyms xxix Introduction: agricultural biodiversity, diverse diets and improving nutrition 1 DANNY HUNTER AND JESSICA FANZO Part I The state of agricultural biodiversity and nutrition: overviews, models and themes 15 1 Harnessing biodiversity: from diets to landscapes 17 FABRICE DECLERCK 2 Overview of agricultural biodiversity and its contribution to nutrition and health 35 VERNON H. HEYWOOD 3 The role of livestock and livestock diversity in sustainable diets 68 IRENE HOFFMANN AND ROSWITHA Baumung 4 Valuing aquatic biodiversity in agricultural landscapes 88 Matthias Halwart viii Contents Part II Creating an enabling environment 109 5 Lessons from sub-Saharan Africa: delivery mechanisms for mobilizing agricultural biodiversity for improved food and nutrition security 111 HervÉ B. D. Bisseleua AND AMADOU Ibra NIANG 6 Sustained and integrated promotion of local, traditional food systems for nutrition security 122 Ifeyironwa Francisca SMITH 7 Linking biodiversity and nutrition: research methodologies 140 ROSELINE REMANS AND SEAN SMUKLER 8 Successes and pitfalls of linking nutritionally promising Andean crops to markets 164 MICHAEL HERMANN 9 Biodiversity’s contribution to dietary diversity: magnitude, meaning and measurement 186 PETER R.