Researchers emphasize the importance of freshwater corridors in the Amazon for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services. The study highlights critical areas that need protection to safeguard healthy rivers and mitigate climate change impacts.
Research highlights how subsistence communities' livelihood activities contribute to deforestation and forest degradation due to socioeconomic factors. The study suggests that market-driven solutions adapted to each community's culture and context can help slow or reverse this issue.
Scientists have found that carefully planned patches of diverse vegetation can increase biodiversity and boost yields for farmers. By engaging local communities and co-designing restoration strategies with them, researchers demonstrate the potential to minimize fragmentation and enhance connectivity in Amazon landscapes.
A recent paper reveals that climate mitigation and peacebuilding can generate co-benefits, addressing the root causes of both conflict and climate change. The authors recommend collaboration between sectors to create a virtuous cycle, promoting social inclusion, economic opportunities, and conservation of natural environments.
A recent study by the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT found that global deforestation proceeded as expected during the COVID-19 pandemic, despite lockdowns. Deforestation rates likely remained unchanged due to persistent dynamics driving forest loss before the pandemic.
A new study found that planting and managing improved grass in tropical savannas can increase soil carbon stocks by 15% compared to degraded pasture. The use of Koronivia grass also reduced nitrous oxide emissions from grazing cattle by a factor of 10.
A recent study from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT shows that tricot, a citizen science approach for on-farm experimentation, generates agricultural data via local organizations in Central America. The approach enables farmers to contribute their time and land, reducing trial costs and increasing applicability.
EURISCO is an international aggregated database documenting over 2 million plant genetic resources across 6,737 genera and 45,175 species. The catalogue provides a central entry point for information on crop diversity, facilitating access to data on crop improvement programmes.
Researchers identified 39 wild edible plant species in Türkiye with high mineral content, particularly iron, zinc, and calcium. These findings highlight the link between local biodiversity and food and nutrition security, informing policy platforms and promoting youth engagement in foraging traditions.
A new Perspective piece calls for a radical response to the climate crisis in science, particularly in agriculture and food systems. The authors emphasize the need for transformative adaptation that prioritizes social equity and brings together all stakeholders.
Food security experts propose 32 threats and 50 research questions to bolster food security in extreme events. Better maps, farm-level interventions and system transformation are identified as key areas for improvement.
A recent analysis by researcher Jacob van Etten found that the Green Revolution's narrative omits institutional change and neglects ethnic tensions dominating market exchange. The study highlights the importance of markets and institutions in agricultural development, contradicting the traditional technology-centric view.
Realizing net-zero food systems necessitates the adoption of new technologies and diet shifts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions. The goal is to achieve a net-zero emission global food system by 2050, with a roadmap outlining milestones for implementation by 2030 and 2040.
A case study in Laos explores the application of climate services for agriculture, demonstrating improved agricultural planning and decision-making through ICT-based platforms like LaCSA. The project successfully co-created agromet services with local stakeholders, increasing capacities and promoting resilience to climate risks.
Seed system-oriented interventions have shown positive impacts on food security, household resilience, dietary quality, and nutrition status. The review highlights the importance of seed system research for improving diets and nutrition in vulnerable populations.
The study found that integrated interventions, which prioritize people and nature coexistence, positively impact local human wellbeing. In contrast, single-sector interventions like high-input conventional agriculture and strict protected areas have negative impacts on human health and ecosystems.
Researchers found that in almost two-thirds of cases, agricultural diversity had a positive effect on food security. However, the relationship was mixed or showed no effect in about one-third of cases. The study highlights the importance of preserving agrobiodiversity to ensure food systems can adapt to climate change and other stresses.
Home gardens in Central Asia serve as living genebanks, maintaining a rich diversity of fruit and nut tree species. However, the increasing popularity of foreign varieties poses a threat to local biodiversity, highlighting the need for integrated conservation efforts.
Foodomics is a data-driven approach to characterize and quantify biomolecules in food, improving wellbeing. The application of omics technologies like genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics enables the creation of a comprehensive food composition database.
A recent study reveals that nearly two-thirds of traditional farmer crop varieties are already represented in genebanks, but conservation gaps persist for key crops like pearl millet and potatoes. The analysis highlights areas with high diversity in landraces, such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and India.
The study maps the extent of threats to highly valuable Asian rosewood species in the Greater Mekong Subregion, proposing conservation actions. Three key species - Siamese rosewood, Burma blackwood, and Burmese rosewood - face significant risks from overexploitation, fire, habitat conversion, and climate change.
Researchers from around the world have developed new breeding tools to help potato breeders adapt their crops to a changing climate. The collaboration identified useful traits, such as local adaptability and climate flexibility, in wild varieties of potatoes, which can be used to cut down on the time and cost of developing new cultivars.
A new study reveals that deforestation has significant biophysical effects on climate, including changes in heat distribution and water cycles. Forests play a crucial role in dispersing heat and transferring water from the surface to the atmosphere, which affects regional hydrological cycles.
Agricultural researcher Benjamin Schiek developed a mathematical method to better allocate resources across different policies and projects. The method calculates correlations between institutional research projects and strategic objectives, revealing synergies and trade-offs, enabling more informed funding decisions.
A new study reveals that South and Southeast Asia's native tree diversity is at risk of extinction, with only 10% of ranges suitable for conservation. Coordinated conservation and restoration efforts are critical to prevent further destruction and biodiversity loss.
A new study finds that farmers should be seen as partners in research and development to achieve climate and sustainability goals. Novel funding models, such as joint agenda setting and blended finance, are also needed to support transformative projects in the agricultural sector.
The article highlights the importance of access and equity in sharing biodiversity data, with scientists warning that unequal distribution of genetic data and benefits is hindering innovation and conservation efforts. The CBD and Plant Treaty need reform to address this issue.
The Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture have published 10 rules for socially sustainable ecosystem restoration. The rules emphasize the importance of recognizing diversity among stakeholders, building trust with communities, and considering multiple benefits within ecosystems.
A new tool, Diversity for Restoration (D4R), helps nations tailor tree species selection to local environmental conditions and objectives. This is crucial for successful landscape restoration projects that benefit biodiversity, food security, and livelihoods while drawing carbon out of the atmosphere.
Restoring 47.5 million hectares by 2030 demands high-quality seeds and seedlings. The study highlights the need for effective seed control and local community participation to ensure successful restoration projects.
A new study in India reveals that more than half of surveyed crop varieties are under threat of extinction, with 50% considered threatened across five different agroecological regions. The Varietal Threat Index methodology proposes a systematic way to monitor changes in varietal diversity on farms.
A global review found that 80% of crop diversity loss is due to economic, agricultural, technological, climatic, and political changes. Conservation efforts can mitigate losses by strengthening ex-situ repositories and duplicating unique collections.
Farmers in East Africa better adapted to COVID-19 due to differences in arrival times of lockdown measures, access to technology, and cultural factors. In contrast, southern African countries faced significant disruptions in supply chains, leading to reduced access to inputs and markets.
New research suggests that scaling up silvopastoral systems in Colombia's Amazon Rainforest can lead to deforestation if safeguards are not put in place. The study found that excess male cattle produced by these systems may be sold to farms in nearby areas, contributing to deforestation.
Researchers at KU Leuven and the Alliance of Bioversity International have developed a method to multiply coconut trees faster and store them more efficiently in gene banks. This technique allows for the preservation of coconut shoots for eternity through cryopreservation, ensuring the long-term conservation of genetic diversity.
The Agrobiodiversity Index reveals that globally, biodiversity and agrobiodiversity are in decline, with only a fraction of species contributing to crop production. Maintaining diversity is vital for achieving sustainable food systems.
A global food panel could bring together scientists, governments and stakeholders to tackle food insecurity, climate change and health crises. However, its legitimacy and impact depend on ensuring diverse knowledge participation and inclusive governance.
Research by Wuletawu Abera and his team has shown that vegetation cover combined with earthworks like retaining walls or trenches can help increase the amount of carbon stored in the soil. The studies focused on the Ethiopian highlands, where land degradation has led to erosion and loss of soil organic matter.
Researchers have identified five Bacillus strains with antibiotic ability against the deadly Fusiarium wilt TR4 fungus, which is threatening global banana production. The study found that these strains can trigger direct or indirect antagonism on the fungus, providing a new biocontrol method to combat TR4.
China's community seedbanks are conserving agricultural biodiversity by protecting crop varieties, improving farmer livelihoods, and increasing food security. These seedbanks also promote climate resilience through their focus on local environmental conditions.
Researchers have found that restoration action is at risk of failure if it doesn't consider the social and political dimensions of the effort. Key findings include a successful kelp restoration project centered on indigenous worldviews, and a lake restoration project whose main beneficiaries were well-heeled urban residents.
The loss of genetic diversity is a pressing crisis that can have devastating consequences for ecosystems and human societies. Monitoring genetic diversity using DNA analysis can help detect vulnerabilities, but technology must be made available globally and data must be accessible to inform conservation efforts.
The IFSS portal offers over 100 innovative solutions to improve nutrition, restore the environment, and promote social equity. It provides a platform for collaboration and access to information about game-changing solutions.
Researchers found that El Niño can accurately predict cacao yields with a high degree of confidence, even 25 months before the harvest. This innovative approach uses machine learning and rigorous data collection to provide valuable insights for farmers and policymakers, enabling them to make informed investment decisions.
Researchers call for climate projections to be taken into account in conservation planning to protect areas at risk of biodiversity loss and climate impacts. Climate change is expected to impact 58% of montane forests in the Peruvian Andes, highlighting the need for adaptive management frameworks.
A new study found COVID-19 restrictions significantly impacted bean production, threatening to reverse gains made in achieving no poverty and zero hunger. The pandemic exacerbated existing insecurities in food systems, with poor communities particularly affected by border closures, lockdowns, and reduced access to inputs and finance.
Research in Tanzania shows that women farmers face social structural barriers and discriminatory land rights, limiting their ability to increase crop yields. Access to improved seeds, knowledge, and decision-making is key to closing the gender yield gap.
Research shows investing in tree diversity leads to greater long-term benefits and lower costs. High genetic diversity is crucial for tropical forests' resilience to climate change and pests, producing more seeds and fruit. This approach may increase initial costs but offers significant ecological and socioeconomic benefits.
A study in Burkina Faso found that assisted natural regeneration, combined with tree planting and participatory approaches, is effective in restoring degraded landscapes. However, local communities, particularly women, face limited land-access rights, hindering their involvement in decision-making.
The webinar highlights the importance of open data in developing resilience in agriculture and food systems, particularly in the face of climate change, pandemics, and pests. Key experts share insights on harnessing data to create more sustainable and equitable food systems.