Vegiversity: AVRDC’s contribution to vegetable biodiversity

Taina, Taiwan
April 9, 2010

Source: Newsletter of the World Vegetable Center

2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity, and AVRDC – The World Vegetable Center is part of the celebration and the ongoing discussion. Take a moment to consider the Center’s contribution to global food and health security through the conservation of diverse vegetable germplasm and the promotion of vegetable consumption.

The world’s current food production system is challenged by greater weather variability, higher average temperatures, increased numbers of extremely hot days, shorter growing seasons, increased moisture stress, added salinity from salt water intrusion and irrigation systems, and new combinations and strains of pests and diseases. Future food security will rely on the germplasm stored in international, national, and regional genebanks, where plant breeders will discover the traits to develop a new generation of resilient, climate ready crops as the base for farming systems that capture more carbon and emit fewer greenhouse gasses.

Among major crop groups held in ex situ collections by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and regional or national institutes and programs, vegetables come in fourth place with 7%, after cereals (45%), food legumes (15%), and forages (9%).