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Reversing vegetable biodiversity loss to diversify diets
Maarten van Zonneveld1, Colin K Khoury2,3,4, Anna Herforth5
1World Vegetable Center, Headquarters, Shanhua, Tainan 74151, Taiwan.
Summary
Enhancing vegetable consumption requires leveraging vegetable biodiversity. Conserving and utilizing diverse vegetable varieties can improve diets and combat malnutrition globally.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Nutrition Science
- Conservation Biology
Background:
- Inadequate vegetable intake contributes to poor diet quality and malnutrition worldwide.
- Constraints to vegetable consumption include insufficient production, high prices, and sociocultural factors.
- Vegetable biodiversity is a crucial but underutilized resource for improving dietary intake.
Purpose of the Study:
- To highlight the role of vegetable biodiversity in enhancing vegetable consumption.
- To advocate for integrated strategies aligning biodiversity conservation with dietary goals.
- To address declining vegetable biodiversity and its impact on nutrition.
Main Methods:
- Reviewing food system assessments and biodiversity conservation status.
- Proposing four complementary action areas: securing, harnessing, promoting, and integrating vegetable biodiversity.
- Focusing on biodiversity hotspots where vegetable diversity and malnutrition overlap.
Main Results:
- Vegetable biodiversity is declining due to market homogenization and land-use change.
- Current conservation efforts are insufficient to support research, breeding, and innovation.
- A significant gap exists between current and recommended vegetable intake levels.
Conclusions:
- Aligning conservation with dietary goals through integrated actions is essential.
- Securing, harnessing, promoting, and integrating vegetable biodiversity can improve diets.
- This approach offers a strategy for healthier diets by transforming an overlooked opportunity.
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