agrobiodiversity
Agrobiodiversity encompasses the variety and variability of plants, animals, and microorganisms — at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels — that sustain agricultural production systems. For plant science, it is foundational to understanding how cultivated and wild plant relatives contribute to ecosystem resilience, crop adaptation, and the long-term security of food systems. Studying agrobiodiversity helps researchers identify traits for crop improvement, conserve underutilized species, and develop strategies to maintain productive, resilient agricultural landscapes in the face of environmental change.
open_in_new WikipediaPubMed · 2026-03-24
A global initiative called VACS is working to bring neglected African crops like amaranth, finger millet, and taro into mainstream agriculture to make food systems more resilient to climate change and improve nutrition.
Global food systems are dangerously dependent on a small number of staple crops, leaving them exposed to climate shocks and nutritional gaps.
Seven specific opportunity crops — amaranth, Bambara groundnut, finger millet, okra, pigeon pea, sesame, and taro — are identified as high-priority targets for modernized breeding and market development.
The VACS initiative applies lessons from successful major crop programs, advocating for market-guided prioritization and grassroots science networks to scale impact.
