The Suwon Agrobiodiversity Framework: The Way Forward for Managing Agrobiodiversity for Sustainable Agriculture in the Asia-Pacific Region

摘要

The Asia-Pacific region is the largest supplier of the world's food and agricultural products. It houses about 58% of the world's population but has only 38% of the world's agricultural land. Attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly alleviating poverty, assuring food and nutritional security and environmental sustainability, presents a major challenge to development in this region. Fortunately, the region is the centre of diversity of many important species of crops, livestockand forest tree species. Furthermore, resource poor farmers in the region are largely dependent on agrobiodiversity of minor crops, wild food and medicinal plants and animals for their food security and livelihood. Agricultural biodiversity has importantrole in achieving the food and nutritional security. It is key resource for crop improvement and imparting greater resilience, stability and sustainability to farming systems. It also contributes to better nutrition and health, and is a source of increased incomes and improved livelihoods.