Food Biodiversity Research Articles

Scientific priorities of new environmental program

The article discusses the scientific priorities in the preparation of the new environmental education program developed by an international team of scientists and university professors, as well as employers. The priorities of research in the field of environmental science are concentrated in 17 Goals of Sustainable Development, which determine the development prospects and indicators for achieving progress in the field of ecology and society until 2030. The growing global threats associated with climate change, energy, water and food security, biodiversity conservation and ecosystem restoration require new solutions and the integration of the entire global community to train qualified specialists meeting the requirements of international education standards. Modern environmental education is an interdisciplinary system of knowledge in the field of fundamental and applied tasks in environmental research, aimed at students acquiring practical skills and competencies for the integrated solution of environmental management and sustainable development issues on a national and global scale. Analysis has been carried out the relationship of scientific environmental priorities with the mission and goals, as well as learning outcomes of the Environmental Program. Scientific and technical achievements in the field of renewable energy sources, energy and resource saving, environmentally friendly technologies in agriculture and industry became the basis for creating such courses as “Green Economy”, “Green Technologies”, “Renewable Energy”. The experience of the Reading University and Cumbria University (Great Britain) in applying scientific priorities and the achievements of modern research in the field of environmental services, forecasting the future and environmental project is used in the development of new academic disciplines and programs of educational and research practices.

Review on Dietary Contribution of Wild Edible Food Biodiversity to Food Security and Micronutrient Status of Children in Ethiopia

Deficiencies in key vitamins and minerals are placed among the major public health problems. In Ethiopia, children aged 6–59 months are dramatically affected by vitamin A deficiency and iron deficiency anemia, which accounts 61% and 54%, respectively. Nationally, the prevalence of anemia among children under two years was 56%. The objective of this review was to document current information regarding dietary contribution of wild edible food biodiversity to food security and micronutrient status of children in Ethiopia. Magnitude of under nutrition, low dietary diversity and food insecurity in Ethiopia is very high in rural communities where livelihood depends on backward farming system. The nutritional consequences of food insecurity experience include under nutrition depending on a broad range of contextual, economic and socio cultural factors. Although, Ethiopia is among the regions producing adequate wild edible food biodiversity in the Africa, it is reported that there is high prevalence rate of micronutrient deficiencies compared to prevalence in less productive regions of Africa. Therefore, all responsible bodies should be intensified and incorporated to reduce food insecurity and micronutrient deficiencies through nutrition education intervention. In the future, researchers should also conduct the nutritional composition, phytochemicals and antioxidants of each wild edible food biodiversity in Ethiopia.

Food biodiversity includes both locally cultivated and wild food species in Guasaganda, Central Ecuador

BackgroundWorldwide, the number of wild and domesticated food species is declining, which endangers dietary diversity of particularly indigenous people. Unfortunately, eating culture and traditional knowledge is also hampered when food species are no longer available.MethodsThis study reports the food biodiversity in Guasaganda, Central Ecuador, using a combination of methods aiming to inform local initiatives.Results and discussionThe number of species includes 49 wild, 41 cultivated, and 28 semi-cultivated plants and 13 wild, 9 domesticated, and 1 semi-domesticated animal species. Although, Guasaganda is a hot spot of plant and animal diversity, a limited number of plant (3.00 SD 1.45) and animal species (2.37 SD 1.44) are available at the farm.ConclusionIncreasing the number of edible species in the food system is imperative for dietary diversity. Further research should document the consumption of the reported foods, and the nutrient and biochemical content to assess nutrient adequacy of the diet.

Species richness and vulnerability to disturbance propagation in real food webs

A central issue in ecology is understanding how complex and biodiverse food webs persist in the face of disturbance, and which structural properties affect disturbance propagation among species. However, our comprehension of assemblage mechanisms and disturbance propagation in food webs is limited by the multitude of stressors affecting ecosystems, impairing ecosystem management. By analysing directional food web components connecting species along food chains, we show that increasing species richness and constant feeding linkage density promote the establishment of predictable food web structures, in which the proportion of species co-present in one or more food chains is lower than what would be expected by chance. This reduces the intrinsic vulnerability of real food webs to disturbance propagation in comparison to random webs, and suggests that biodiversity conservation efforts should also increase the potential of ecological communities to buffer top-down and bottom-up disturbance in ecosystems. The food web patterns observed here have not been noticed before, and could also be explored in non-natural networks.

Relevance of LACAf biofuels for global sustainability

Bioenergy is critical to combat climate change, an ominous threat to life on earth as we know it. The strong political appeal of measures to combat climate change provides a unique opportunity for realizing the potential of sustainable bioenergy in Latin America, Caribbean and Africa via production, consumption and free international trade. This paper focuses on the development prospects of sustainable biofuels markets in Latin America and Sub-Saharan Africa - LACAf, regions with large potential to become global suppliers of biofuels, where 500–900 million hectares of land are available for bioenergy production while simultaneously enhancing food security and biodiversity. Biofuels markets are evolving fast and at rates higher than conventional fossil fuels. Currently, bioethanol and biodiesel provide about 3% of the world’s transportation fuels. In the most promising scenario, most of Latin American countries could implement at least E10. In Africa, ethanol could displace at least 15% of gasoline consumption. Life cycle analysis (LCA) is the method of choice used for sustainability certification. A Biofuture Platform was created to serve as a political and policy forum.

Sustainability and environmental management in the Mexican vegetable sector

In terms of sustainability, the Mexican horticultural sector faces great challenges as well as opportunities because of its strong environmental and social impact. The main environmental problems in Mexico are related to inefficient water use and to deforestation. Of growing importance is soil pollution because of the inappropriate use of agrochemicals, greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion. Environmental problems are more severe in arid or semiarid regions, such as the state of Zacatecas, where 87.7% of the cultivated area is rainfed, while the rest is irrigated with water extracted from 34 aquifers, 14 of which are over-exploited. This study determines the relationship between the decision to adopt an integral program of care and protection of the environment in vegetable production units (PUs) and the characteristics of the PUs and growers, their views on sustainability, their agricultural practices and the drivers and barriers to adoption. Moreover, the likelihood of adoption of this program was determined. Information was obtained through a questionnaire applied to owners of PUs and was processed using two logistic regression models and principal component analysis. The likelihood of adopting the program was 74.2%, determined by level of education, view on sustainability, profitability of the PU, internal aspects of the organization and sustainable agricultural practices. For the design of an integral program of care and protection of the environment in the horticulture sector, we suggest direct support to the growers to establish sustainable agricultural practices, integrating standards of food safety, biodiversity and environmental management.

12th IFDC 2017 special issue – Brazilian Food Composition Table (TBCA): Development and functionalities of the online version

The first version of the Brazilian Food Composition Table (TBCA) website was created in 1998. Version 6.0, launched in 2017, was developed collaboratively by the Food Research Center, University of São Paulo and the Brazilian Network of Food Data Systems. It is freely available at www.fcf.usp.br/tbca. The updated version comprises two databases: (i) the Biodiversity and Regional Food Database (TBCA B-DB), which contains analytical data on Brazilian food biodiversity; and (ii) the Nutrient Intake Evaluation Database (TBCA NIE-DB), comprising data on most foods consumed in Brazil, including the content of 34 components. The TBCA NIE-DB presents composition data for more than 3400 foods, including raw foods, manufactured products and composite dishes. The data can be searched by food name in Portuguese or English or by the scientific name. Searches by food group or by component can also be performed, and reports are generated according to the data available and database accessed. A new functionality implemented in the website is the evaluation of energy intake for general users. TBCA NIE-DB is a tool for evaluating nutrient intake for individuals and populations and it assists professionals with dietary prescriptions. Computational tools using TBCA NIE-DB can be developed for various applications, such as generating personalized menus.

The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture: a Call to Action?

The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture: a Call to Action?

Mainstreaming Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition into Policies and Practices: Methodologies and Lessons Learned from Four Countries

This paper outlines the methodology for mainstreaming biodiversity developed by the Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition Project (BFN), a multi-country initiative led by Brazil , Kenya , Sri Lanka and Turkey . BFN explored the nutritional properties of traditional and/or neglected native edible species, both wild and cultivated (including varieties and landraces), and used this knowledge to incorporate local agricultural biodiversity into national and global policy instruments that address food and nutrition security through the promotion of healthy, diversified and sustainable diets. Across the four countries, the project adopted a three-pillar approach for mainstreaming biodiversity for food and nutrition into policies and practices by: 1) Providing Evidence, 2) Influencing Policy, and 3) Raising Awareness. Case study examples from Brazil , Kenya , Turkey , and Sri Lanka demonstrate how the approach can be adapted to suit specific country contexts and how a multi-level, cross-sectoral partnership-based approach can create an enabling environment for mainstreaming biodiversity to improve nutrition.

Food, water, energy, waste: an examination of socio-technical issues for urban prosumers: Part 2 (Results and Discussion)

The purpose of this paper (parts I and II) is to examine the socio-technical factors that affect urban food production and associated energy, water and waste services. Part I introduced the growing role of prosumers, discussed the context of the human relationship with food and demonstrated how citizens’ choices and actions regarding food consumption and production in urban settings are shaped by the economic, cultural and infrastructure systems in which they live. A residential estate on the urban fringe of Australia’s subtropical Gold Coast was described, setting the context for a mixed methods analysis of quantitative and qualitative data gathered through estate maps, development planning documents, visual observations, interviews and surveys. Part II presents the results, analysed around the themes of food production, consumption and development infrastructure (physical and social). An integrated approach to land-use, energy, water and waste was instrumental in enabling ubiquitous high biodiversity food production, highlighting planning decisions that affect the ability of urban prosumers to incorporate sustainability into their food practices. The case study demonstrates that an integrated approach to urban infrastructure can support and enable urban prosumer food practices. A framework to evaluate urban neighbourhoods in terms of potential for creating synergies between land use, water, waste and energy infrastructure is presented and an initial performance indicator framework is proposed, to understand, develop and manage prosumer-driven urban agriculture in the context of integrated energy, water, waste and food services.

The biodiversity of food and agriculture (Agrobiodiversity) in the anthropocene: Research advances and conceptual framework

Abstract Multiple knowledge systems are crucial to understand human-environment interactions of the biodiversity of agriculture and food systems (agrobiodiversity). This article synthesizes these knowledge systems to formulate the novel Agrobiodiversity Knowledge Framework comprised of four themes: (1) ecology and evolution; (2) governance; (3) food, nutrition, and health; and (4) global environmental and socioeconomic changes. Resulting characterization of these knowledge themes, joined with cross-theme integration, demonstrate advances of agrobiodiversity research, management, and policy amid the accelerated global environmental and socioeconomic transformations of the Anthropocene. Framework results guide the presentation of new data from the Agrobiodiversity, Food, and Nutrition project (AFN) in Peru. These results integrate an emphasis on factors of global change, including climate change. The combination of the new knowledge framework and project results is utilized to point toward future directions for research, policy, and management. The Agrobiodiversity Knowledge Framework is essential to address the transformative planetary challenges of the Anthropocene that include sustainable development with nutritional security, biodiversity conservation, social justice, climate change, and nutrient pollution. Strengthening the focus on and analysis of the complex human-environment interactions of biodiversity in agriculture and food is vital as a nexus of science, scholarship, management, and policy in the era of Earth systems dominated by human activity.

Genomic and transcriptomic approaches to understand Passiflora physiology and to contribute to passionfruit breeding

With more than 500 species, most of them occurring in the Neotropical region, the genus Passiflora is of key importance when one considers exploring biodiversity for food and medicinal purposes. Plants from the genus Passiflora produce fruits with economical importance, the passionfruits. Passionfruit breeding programs are leaving their infancy and molecular markers are increasingly being used to assist selection for desirable traits in novel passionfruit commercial varieties. However, the molecular and genetic basis of many of the selected characters affecting passionfruit production and quality cannot be studied in model species such as Arabidopsis thaliana, due to developmental particularities of Passiflora species. Therefore, in this review we comment on the development of genetic, genomic and transcriptomic tools that are recently becoming available for passionfruits.

Why seagrass meadows should be protected

Marine Ecology Seagrasses are found along coastlines around the world but are under threat from human activities. In a Perspective, Cullen-Unsworth and Unsworth explain that seagrasses perform many important functions. For example, seagrasses provide a habitat for diverse marine species, including numerous commercial fish species, and store large amounts of carbon. Loss of seagrass meadows may thus contribute to rising carbon emissions and may threaten biodiversity and food security. Research into the extent and properties of seagrass meadows is helping to inform conservation efforts, but time is of the essence to avoid further losses of these important ecosystems. Science , this issue p. [446][1] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.aat7318

CHARACTERIZATION OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAVES AND ITS UTILIZATION AS VALUE ADDED INGREDIENT IN UNLEAVENED FLAT BREAD (CHAPATTI)

Micronutrient deficiency is a major concern now a days as more than 30 percent of world’s population is suffering from nutritional deficiency. People are getting awareness regarding food biodiversity, therefore they demand value added and nutritionally enriched food products to counter appetite as well as to improve their health. This study was conducted to assess the nutritional potential of Moringa oleifera leaves powder (MOLP) and a product was developed to ensure its efficient utilization in chapatti (Unleavened flat bread). For this purpose proximate composition was analyzed for both moringa oleifera leaves powder and whole wheat flour (WWF). The depicted results for MOLP were as 10.75% moisture, 7.79% ash, 6.49% crude fat, 23.72% crude protein, 12.48% crude fiber. Afterward, raw materials were analyzed for mineral profile, MOLP showed better mineral content as; 1295 mg/100g K, 211.92 mg/100g Mg, 6.32 mg/100g Cu, 7.37 mg/100g Fe, 12.83 mg/100g Na, 6.3 mg/100g Zn and 8.67 mg/100g Mn, as compared to WWF. Then antioxidant activity of both materials was analyzed and again MOLP showed better results as compared to WWF. The recorded values for Total Phenolic Content (TPC), Total Flavonoid Content (TFC) and antioxidant activity of MOLP were as; 88.63 mg GAE/g, 30.86 mg CE/g and 89.27%, respectively. Furthermore composite flour blend was prepared with the addition of 5, 10, 15 and 20% MOLP in WWF and analyzed for pasting properties then chapattis ware developed and analyzed for mineral profile and antioxidant activity as well as sensory attributes. It was observed that chapatti with 20% MOLP contained highest level of minerals as; 286.07 mg/100g K, 147.75 mg/100g Mg, 5.12 mg/100g Cu, 4.09 mg/100g Fe, 12.83 mg/100g Na, 4.78 mg/100g Zn and 5.78 mg/100g Mn. Similarly the treatment with highest proportion of MOLP showed maximum antioxidant activity; TPC, TFC and DPPH depicted results 8.83 mg GAE/g Extract, 3.66 mg CE/ g of extract, 80.52% respectively. The sensory evaluation of chapatti exhibited that treatments which had 5 and 10% of MOLP demonstrated comparatively better results with overall acceptability scores 6.90 and 6.20, respectively, however T2 (10% MOLP) was the best acceptable combination regarding its sensorial attributes. Conclusively the micronutrient profile and antioxidant activity of chapattis gradually enhanced by increasing the level of MOLP.

Natural History Collection Data: Traits to Identify Plant-Pollinator Interactions in a Spatial Context

Natural history collections are of extreme importance as they safeguard data from both spatial and temporal sources. Biological collections store the biodiversity information of the majority of the world´s ecosystems, including data from extinct and threatened species. Worldwide, interactions betweens species perform important functions that contribute to the maintenance of the environment. The use of biodiversity by human society generates the so called Ecosystems Services (Nature’s Contributions to People), which may act at a local or even a global scale, as is the case with crop pollination services. Bees are the most important pollinator group and are responsible for the pollination of approximately 80% of Angiosperms and 75% of the crops worldwide. Bee pollinator decline has raised concern globally, the loss and degradation of habitat being one of the causes, with detrimental impacts on food production and biodiversity. In this context, we suggest incorporating and providing spatially explicit plant-pollinator interaction data into natural history collections databases. Plant-pollinator interaction traits (morphological, biochemical, physiological, structural, phenological or behavioural characteristics of organisms that influence performance or fitness) can firstly be identified through pollination syndromes by using floral traits such as size, shape, color, odor and the reward. Bee body size (estimated usually by intertegular distance) and tongue length are important traits that can be used to evaluate bee-flower compatibility and also to estimate an average flight range for each bee species through the landscape. Since interaction is context dependent, data on functional traits could be associated with spatial references, such as geographic coordinates, altitude and land use where species were collected. Such information is usually available in data repositories delivered by collections. Thus, the association of species identification, functional traits and occurrences can act as an important tool for understanding local ecosystem processes, to forecast impacts based on land use and climate change and also for assisting decision making processes for nature conservation. Online databases must also be linked to a Digital Object Identifier (DOI), as is the case for data plubications, so that the work of providing the data can be properly acknowledged and cited in the literature.

Brazilian underutilised species to promote dietary diversity, local food procurement, and biodiversity conservation: a food composition gap analysis

BackgroundBrazil is home to a large portion of the world's biodiversity, but, paradoxically, the country's agriculture and food security are very reliant on exotic or introduced crops or species. Native species are being neglected and forgotten with natural landscapes and traditional foods being replaced by monocultures of commodity crops and pasture for livestock, causing habitat and biodiversity loss. At the same time, Brazil faces dietary simplification and high levels of malnutrition. Much of the neglected native biodiversity is highly nutritious and exploring these food sources could help provide sustainable solutions to diversifying diets, tackling malnutrition problems, and promoting agricultural development through local food procurement, while also promoting biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation and resilience. However, notable knowledge and evidence gaps still need to be addressed to better integrate biodiversity for enhancing food and nutrition security, including scientific data on the nutritional value and composition of native underutilised species. In Brazil, the Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition (BFN) project generated food composition data, developed recipes, and increased appreciation and awareness of the value of underutilised, nutrient-rich biodiversity through strategic research partnerships with universities and research institutes. MethodsFor this food composition gap analysis of native Brazilian biodiversity, the BFN project established partnerships with universities and research institutes for the generation of food composition data (macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals) and the development of recipes for 70 native underutilised species of fruits and vegetables of economic potential. Food composition data was gathered by doing a literature review, using compilation methods developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the International Network for Food Data Systems. Food composition analysis is being done for data that was missing or incomplete. Data is being made available on a food composition and recipes database developed with the Information System on Brazilian Biodiversity. FindingsFrom May, 2014, to March, 2016, the nine partner universities in Brazil compiled existing food composition data for 59 of the 70 selected indigenous Brazilian fruit and vegetable species for which data were available. Food composition analysis is being done for missing or incomplete data (especially for vitamins, minerals, and dietary fibre) for all 70 species and will be finalised in 2018. Results thus far show that many of the studied species are high in vitamins, such as the high concentrations of vitamin A encountered in the pulp of peach palm (Bactris gasipaes; 317 μg retinol activity equivalent [RAE] per 100 g), tucumã (Astrocaryum aculeatum; 808 μg RAE per 100 g) and buriti (Mauritia flexuosa; 1204 μg RAE per 100 g). High vitamin C concentrations were found in the pulp of camu-camu (Myrciaria dubia; 1620 mg/100 g), guabiroba (Campomanesia xanthocarpa; 428 mg/100 g) and mangaba (Hancornia speciosa; 209 mg/100 g). Protein concentrations were high in seeds of chicha (Sterculia striata; 19 g/100 g), pequi (Caryocar brasiliense; 29 g/100 g) and baru (Dipteryx alata; 29 mg/100 g). InterpretationThe data is being used as an advocacy tool for promoting native species in public initiatives including policy incentives for improving their production and market chains. By working through regional partners, capacities were developed in different regions, directly engaging more than 100 students and professors. These groups act as multipliers, building additional human capacity and operating as opinion leaders and policy advisors, including the provision of research and technical backstopping for municipal managers, school managers, nutritionists, and cooks responsible for implementing the National School Feeding Programme, thus the partnership is likely to favour the inclusion of biodiversity in school meals. FundingGlobal Environment Facility.

Improving food-system efficiency and environmental conservation using agricultural biodiversity in Busia County: a pilot study

BackgroundDespite the abundance of edible biodiversity, both wild and cultivated, malnutrition and food insecurity persist in Busia County, Kenya, where poverty indices range from 63% to 74% and 25% of children younger than 5 years are stunted, 11% are underweight, and 4% are thin for their age. Much of this biodiversity, used in traditional food preparations, has the potential to provide access to key micronutrients for healthy and balanced diets and to act as an important source of community resilience to climate change and economic turbulence. Yet, low consumer awareness of the value of local biodiversity, poorly developed value chains, and negative perceptions of traditional foods have led to the disappearance of many nutrient-rich species and the shift to unhealthy diets. We aimed to show that heightened knowledge of the value of biodiversity and improved value-chain efficiencies can help to conserve biodiversity and improve local food systems. MethodsWe developed a farmer business school model and provided training to 25 farmer groups across seven sub-counties in Busia County, Kenya, on the sustainable production of traditional vegetables, post-harvest handling, contract farming, nutrition, and value addition. We also analysed selected species for nutritional content, tested a food procurement model supporting market linkages between farmers and local institutions, and carried out nutrition education activities to improve the capacity of schools and clinics to incorporate traditional foods into meals. FindingsWe found that traditional vegetables were rich in iron—for example, cowpea leaves contained 17 times more iron than did kales. After making the nutritional data available to all value chain actors during implementation of the food procurement model, we recorded a 12% increase in the number of households cultivating local biodiversity, both for household consumption and off-farm sales, along with a 75% increase in the plot size devoted to traditional vegetable cultivation. Furthermore, household incomes increased by a mean of 47% (SD 30) as a result of direct links with institutional markets. The effects of increased market linkages on education, economic, and health benefits will be measured in a second phase of the project to start in 2018. InterpretationThe project has positively affected the abundance, composition, and distribution of species and revived interest in local food biodiversity, in addition to producing benefits around diverse diets. Experience in implementing the Busia model has been used to inform global policies that aim to mainstream biodiversity in sustainable food systems using public procurement, particularly schools, as a platform for improving nutrition. Nationally, a biodiversity policy was developed for Busia County that recognised the importance of local biodiversity, including for improved livelihoods, community resilience, and health and nutrition. FundingGlobal Environment Facility, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, and the MacArthur Foundation.

Time- and depth-wise trophic niche shifts in Antarctic benthos.

Climate change is expected to affect resource-consumer interactions underlying stability in polar food webs. Polar benthic organisms have adapted to the marked seasonality characterising their habitats by concentrating foraging and reproductive activity in summer months, when inputs from sympagic and pelagic producers increase. While this enables the persistence of biodiverse food webs, the mechanisms underlying changes in resource use and nutrient transfer are poorly understood. Thus, our understanding of how temporal and spatial variations in the supply of resources may affect food web structure and functioning is limited. By means of C and N isotopic analyses of two key Antarctic benthic consumers (Adamussium colbecki, Bivalvia, and Sterechinus neumayeri, Echinoidea) and Bayesian mixing models, we describe changes in trophic niche and nutrient transfer across trophic levels associated with the long- and short-term diet and body size of specimens sampled in midsummer in both shallow and deep waters. Samplings occurred soon after the sea-ice broke up at Tethys Bay, an area characterised by extreme seasonality in sea-ice coverage and productivity in the Ross Sea. In the long term, the trophic niche was broader and variation between specimens was greater, with intermediate-size specimens generally consuming a higher number of resources than small and large specimens. The coupling of energy channels in the food web was consequently more direct than in the short term. Sediment and benthic algae were more frequently consumed in the long term, before the sea-ice broke up, while consumers specialised on sympagic algae and plankton in the short term. Regardless of the time scale, sympagic algae were more frequently consumed in shallow waters, while plankton was more frequently consumed in deep waters. Our results suggest a strong temporal relationship between resource availability and the trophic niche of benthic consumers in Antarctica. Potential climate-driven changes in the timing and quality of nutrient inputs may have profound implications for the structure of polar food webs and the persistence of their constituent species, which have adapted their trophic niches to a highly predictable schedule of resource inputs.

Valorization of pineapple waste for the extraction of bioactive compounds and glycosides using autohydrolysis

The authors thank to BiValBi (Biotechnologies to Valorize the regional food Biodiversity in Latin America) project with reference PIRSES-GA-2013-611493 by financial support. J.A. Teixeira and A. Romani thank financial support obtained by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit and COMPETE 2020 (POCI-010145-FEDER-006684) and BioTecNorte operation (NORTE-01-0145FEDER-000004) funded by European Regional Development Fund under the scope of Norte2020 - Programa Operacional Regional do Norte.

Traditional Land and Food Systems: A Case of Uttarakhand State in North-western Indian Himalayas

Like most of India, agriculture is one of the significant sectors of the economy of Uttarakhand state. About 86% of the state consists of hills, traditionally growing diverse crops as polycultures and sustaining about 50% of its population. As the contribution of agricultural biodiversity for food and nutritional security of native farming communities is often undervalued, the present communication succinctly documents the important features of traditional small-holder farming of Uttarakhand hills. About 70–80% of the native people living in rural areas depend on farming for their livelihoods, with the majority relying on small scale crop-livestock systems, including those that are integrated with long haul pastoral systems. The integration of crop and livestock production systems increases the diversity, along with environmental sustainability, of both sectors. At the same time it provides opportunities for increasing overall production and economics of farming. Being rich in agricultural biodiversity and food culture, use of locally available traditional food resources including wild harvested food resources in agricultural systems should be part of frontline strategies for nutrition interventions in Uttarakhand hills. The revitalization of local food systems is believed to be an imperative starting point in the local, regional and national framework of agrobiodiversity conservation, dietary diversification and food sovereignty in the Himalayan highlands. The present communication also suggests the need of a proactive alliance between local communities and their key allies across agriculture, food, and public health sectors in collaboratively creating a research and advocacy agenda in support of agrobiodiversity and the revival of local food systems and landscapes within the broader framework of indigenous food sovereignty.