Global food supplies are 'seriously threatened' due to a sixth mass extinction that is currently underway, according to scientists.
In an article for The Guardian, director general of Bioversity International Ann Tutwiler said that "huge proportions" of the plant and animal species that form the foundation of the planet's food supply are just as endangered.
She said this is getting "almost no attention", in a new report published today (26 September).
“If there is one thing we cannot allow to become extinct, it is the species that provide the food that sustains each and every one of the seven billion people on our planet,” she said in an article for the Guardian.
“This ‘agrobiodiversity’ is a precious resource that we are losing, and yet it can also help solve or mitigate many challenges the world is facing. It has a critical yet overlooked role in helping us improve global nutrition, reduce our impact on the environment and adapt to climate change.”
Mass extinction
The destruction of wild areas, pollution and over-hunting has started a mass extinction of species on Earth, the report states.
This will lead to global food supplies becoming "very vulnerable" to disease and pests. And due to the growing global population, demand for supplies will become increasingly strained.
The report sets out how both governments and companies can protect, enhance and use a variety of little-known food crops that could help alleviate this pressure, such as gac, a fiery red fruit from Vietnam and and the orange-fleshed Asupina banana.
Sainsbury’s is one retailer urging more diversification in crops. Its head of agriculture, Beth Hart, said: “The world is changing – global warming, extreme weather and volatile prices are making it harder for farmers and growers to produce the foods our customers love.
“Which is why we are committed to working with our suppliers, farmers and growers around the world to optimise the health benefits, address the impact and biodiversity of these products and secure a sustainable supply.”
