The Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition InitiativeTeresa Borelli, Programme SpecialistAlaçati, 28 March 2015

Agricultural biodiversity nourishes people and sustains the planet

Photo credit: LI-BIRD/A.Subedi

Mediterranean Region of TurkeyHighest number of endemic plants species (1946)111 taxa are consumed as food (salads, fried, roast)In the Aegean region 90 food species recorded

Source: Turkey’s 2nd National Report to the CGRFA (2009) Dogan Y. (2012) Acta Soc Bot Pol 81(4):329–342

Low prevalence of:• Stunting• Underweight• Wasting• Diabetes/cholesterol

Source: FAO. Turkey Nutrition Country Profile (2001)Chronic Diseases and risk factors survey in Turkey. MOH (2013)

Why traditional crops?

Affordable

Accessible

Resilient

Culturally acceptable

Provide nutrients for healthy growth

Bananas and beta-carotene

Cavendish Common Variety

<5 µg/100g pro-Vit A carotenoid

<8500 µg/100g pro-Vit A carotenoid

South Pacific banana varieties

Source: Burlingame, FAO (2013), Bioversity International, IFCP

PROVIDE EVIDENCE – Demonstrate the nutritional value of local BFN and the role it plays in promoting healthy diets and strengthening livelihoods

INFLUENCE POLICIES - Use the evidence to influence policies and markets that support the conservation and sustainable use of BFN for improved human nutrition and wellbeingRAISE AWARENESS – Develop tools and best practices for scaling up the use BFN in development programmes, value chains and local community initiatives.

•1/3 of the population is food insecure•1.8 million children chronically undernourished

ALVs, sorghum, millets, nuts and oil crops, indigenous fruits and livestock

Undernutrition ↓Overnutrition ↑ 50% of adult population overweight (80 million)

Plants for the Future Project (70 spp.)Non conventional leafy vegetables

Undernutrition ↓Overnutrition ↑•31% overweight•12% obese

28 spp. local edible plant species

• Acute protein-energy malnutrition

• Moderate Iron deficiency anaemia and VAD

Native root and tuber crops, traditional rice varieties, leafy vegetables and native fruits

5 year project : 2012 - 2017

Project aim: Strengthen the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity with high nutritional potential, by mainstreaming into nutrition, food and livelihood security strategies and programmes; develop markets and value chains for nutritionally-relevant biodiversity.

1. Provide evidence

Harness traditional foods to broaden the food basket, create resilient food systems and provide livelihood options in the four partner countries

Sub-Saharan Africa Food System

Amazonian food System

Eurasian Food System

South Asian Food System

©Bioversity International – Feb 2013

Source: ©TürKomp, Turkish Food Composition Database, Version 1.0, 2014Özcan, M. (1999). Turkish Jour Agric. For. 23 (3): 771-776

Are wild foods and landraces better?

2. Influence policies

What is mainstreaming biodiversity?• Unprecedented biodiversity loss, degradation of

ecosystems• Since 1994, the CBD has called for the integration of

relevant concerns related to biodiversity conservation and its sustainable use into sectoral or cross-sectoral policies and national decision-making mechanisms. This process is known as biodiversity mainstreaming

• Experiences and lessons learned largely confined to production sectors – agriculture, forestry, fisheries, mining – few examples of mainstreaming BFN

How it can be achieved• Mainstreaming BFN into National Biodiversity

Strategy and Action Plans (NBSAP)• Mainstreaming BFN directly into relevant policies,

programmes and national plans of action on food security and nutrition – Fome Zero, School Feeding Programmes

• Mainstreaming BFN into relevant production sectoral programmes and plans which have a strong bearing on nutritional outcomes – agriculture (Nutrition Sensitive Agriculture), forestry….

• Other policy arenas….

Several possible options exist to undertake the mainstreaming of biodiversity for improving nutrition at

the national and local level

5. Raising Awareness

18

Kenya National Nutrition Symposium Feb 2015

19

Brazil

BFN ProjectBFN Project website, Case studies documenting best practices Diversifying food and diets book.

Thank you

www.b4fn.org