Biodiversity and neglected and underutilized species can improve nutrition, health and food security based on foods.

1. Mainstreamed agriculture versus
wild and underutilized species and
varieties for nutrition
U. Ruth Charrondiere, PhD
FAO, Rome

2. Global nutrition situation
• Double burden of malnutrition
Undernutrition and micronutrient
deficiencies are persisting. Obesity is
endemic also in developing countries.
• Increased consumption of animal
products (e.g. China and India) and of
processed foods.
• Simplification of diets and shift
towards westernized diets.
• Medicalized approach (fortification
and supplementation) instead of a
food-based approach using foods.

3. Astronauts’ diets
NASA (America)
• Foods only
• no supplements except for vitamin D
Is this achievable on earth?

4. Biodiversity and Nutrition
What is biodiversity?
1. inter-species biodiversity (in nutrition called diverse diets) i.e.
eat many different foods
2. Intra-species biodiversity (in nutrition called biodiversity) is
adding a new dimension below species level
– varieties, cultivars and breeds
– but also wild, neglected and underutilized species (NUS)
differences in nutrient content between species are as high as
within species (up to 1000 times)
difference between nutritional adequacy and inadequacy
Reason for importance:

5. Differences in food composition
Food Protein
(g)
Fibre
(g)
Iron
(mg)
Vitamin C
(mg)
β-carotenes
(mcg)
Rice 5.6-14.6 0.7-6.4
Cassava 0.7-6.4 0.9-1.5 0.9-2.5 25-34 <5-790
Potato 1.4-2.9 1-2.23 0.3-2.7 6.4-36.9 1-7.7
Sweet potato 1.3-2.1 0.7-3.9 0.6-14 2.4-35 100-23100
Taro 1.1-3 2.1-3.8 0.6-3.6 0-15 5-2040
Eggplant 9-19 50 - 129
Mango 0.3-1.0 1.3-3.8 0.4-2.8 22-110 20 – 4320
GAC 6180 – 13720
Apricot 0.8-1.4 1.7-2.5 0.3-0.9 3.5-16.5 200-6939
(β-carotene
equivalent)
Banana 0.1-1.6 2.5-17.5 <1 – 8500
All nutrients values expressed per 100 g edible portion on fresh weight basis (EP).
3 x
> 1000 x

6. Mainstreamed vs. underutilized foods
Energy (kcal) Protein (g)
Dietary Fibre
(g)
Iron (mg)
Folate ( DFE
mcg)
Quinoa*
raw
354 14.1 7.0 4.6 184
Rice*
white,
polished, raw
365 7.1 1.3 1.2 8
x 1 x 2 x 9 x 4 x 23
* USDA data in per 100 g edible portion on fresh weight basis.
Banana
β-carotene
content
(mcg/100 g)
Banana intake
in Philippines
(g/d/p)
Vitamin A
intake through
banana in
(mcg RE/d/p)
RDI for vitamin A
covered by
banana intake
(%)
Cavendish 26 93 4 0.7
Utin Iap 8508 93 1319 220
almost no
intake
adequate
intake

7. Food composition data
Nutrient intakesFood labeling
Diet
formulation
Breeding/
research
Research
nutrient intake
- disease
Nutrient
requirements
Nutrition/food security/health
policies
Agricultural
policies
Food based
dietary guidelines
Food aid/
fortification
Consumer
information

8. Vitamin A deficiency in Micronesia
• Traditionally, vitamin A deficiency was not know
• With shift to westernized diets (e.g. white rice and
mutton tails) vitamin A deficiencies arrived
• Nutrition programme developed based on green leafy
vegetables did not work as considered ‘pig foods’
• Exploration of traditional diets showed that local
varieties of bananas and taro were very rich in
carotenoides –> current programme re-introduces the
traditional diet seems to work. See
http://www.islandfood.org

9. The Great Vitamin A Fiasco (M. Latham)
• “Vitamin A (capsule) programmes are ineffective.
They use up precious human and material resources.
Most of all, they impede other approaches to the
prevention of vitamin A deficiency [...]. These include
breastfeeding, and the protection and development
of healthy, affordable and appropriate food
systems and supplies. Such approaches also
protect against other diseases, are sustainable,
enhance well-being, and have social, cultural,
economic and environmental benefits.”
• “capsules do not have a significant effect on
mortality” but de-worming and measles vaccination
are effective
• “exceedingly rich sources of carotene such as palm
and other fruits, tend to be overlooked [...], one
reason being that they often grow wild, and even
when cultivated do not feature in international or
national food composition tables ”

10. Why consider biodiverse foods/NUS?
• May have very interesting food compositions –
however often not known because not analyzed
• Part of local food systems: food culture, taste,
traditions, medicine and spirituality
• Sustainable:
– Survived for centuries
– Contribute to resilient ecosystem
– Needed for adaptation to climate change and
external shocks
– Represent the genetic resources to improve
mainstreamed crops and breeds

11. Why are NUS ‘forgotten’?
Agriculture emphasize on 3 crops (wheat, corn, maize) and
the big 5 (cattle, pigs, chickens, sheep and goats) for
research, production, subsidies, marketing and food
security. And on energy only. Therefore:
• NUS have poor economic competitiveness because of
little or no investments in NUS
• NUS lower productivity, yield, income and marketing
• NUS could be more labour intensive
• NUS got/will get lost if not used
• Changes towards more Western style diets and lifestyles
• Stigma of “food of the poor”.

12. Links between biodiversity, food and
nutrition recognized by:
• International Rice Commission (2002)
• Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) – in
2014 links to health added and WHO
• Commission on genetic resources for food and
agriculture (CGRFA)
• FAO
• ICN2 (2014)
Links increasingly recognized by more
organizations and bodies and with a wider scope

13. How to achieve food security
Objective: to produce sufficient nutrients for a healthy diet for all at
all times and ensure that a population is able to acquire foods in
sufficient quantity and quality and to utilize them efficiently.
Availability
• Agricultural production = foods for
humans
• Not only quantity (yield and
energy) is important but quality
(esp. micronutrient content) = shift
in paradigm
• Processed foods should contain
good nutrient profiles
Access
• Market, income
Utilization
• Human body is in good health
• Foods and water are safe
• Consumers demand high quality foods
• Adequate intra-household distribution of
foods
Stability
• Economic, political, environmental and
GR stability
• Sustainable agriculture conserving and
utilizing biodiversity
• Sustainable consumption

14. Factors influencing
nutrient composition of rice
Rice varieties
Source: adapted from T. Longvah,
NIN, India
Environmental
conditions:
water, light
Fertilizer
Soil
quality
Milling CookingStorage
Agricultural influence Post harvest influences
Genetics

15. International Rice Commission
The Commission recommended that:
• Existing biodiversity of rice varieties and their
nutritional composition need to be explored before
engaging in transgenic research.
• Nutrient content needs to be among the criteria in
cultivar promotion.
• Cultivar-specific nutrient analysis and data
dissemination should be systematically undertaken.
FAO (2002). Report of the International Rice Commission
20th Session (23-26 July 2002, Bangkok). FAO, Rome.

16. Optimal food with
•high nutrient content
•high yield and pest
resistance
•high acceptance by
population
•acceptable price
Nutrition
education,
promotion/ads
Production
and
distribution on
large scale
Better nutrition, food security and
income generation
Nutrition and
Food
composition
Agricultural
research
Genetic
resources

17. FAO’s contribution to scientific evidence
on biodiversity

18. No mainstreaming of nutrition or biodiversity
Health
Each having own
goals
assumptions,
policies,
programmes,
messages –
sometimes
conflicting
Environment
Agriculture
Nutrition
Food
security
Finance,
Trade
Poverty
reduction
Technology
Education Biodiversity

19. Mainstreaming of nutrition and biodiversity
Health
Environment
Agriculture
Nutrition
Food
security
Finance,
Trade
Poverty
reduction
Technology
Education
Biodiversity
Common and coherent goals, assumptions, policies, programmes,
messages to achieve better food-based nutrition through using existing
biodiversity, especially for micronutrients.

20. Commission on Genetic Resources for Food
and Agriculture (CGRFA) endorsed in 2015
Voluntary Guidelines for Mainstreaming Biodiversity into
Policies, Programmes and National and Regional Plans of Action
on Nutrition:
• Rational – why the guidelines are important
• Objectives – assist countries in mainstreaming GF
• Principles – including element for planning
• Three main elements
– Research – describe knowledge gap and way forward
– Implementation – describe important components
– Awareness – describe how to raise awareness of the
general public and of the different stakeholders

21. www.b4fn.org
GEF-funded project Mainstreaming Biodiversity
Conservation and Sustainable Use for Improved Human
Nutrition and Well-being (2012 – 2017)
Objectives:
- Conservation of biodiversity through use
- Improve supply and demand side:
Through increased scientific evidence (food
composition) identify foods high in nutrients.
Increase their market potential and public awareness
- Influence policies to integrate biodiversity

22. BFN project: New analytical data to
be generated on their composition
• Sri Lanka: 6 plant species (20 varieties)
• Brazil: 70 underutilized fruit species + 20
traditional vegetable species
• Kenya: 12 plant and animal species
• Turkey: 43 wild plant species

23. Challenges when mainstreaming NUS
Example quinoa - International year of quinoa in 2013
• Global demand increased for ‘standardized’ products
• New products and market chains developed
• Price increased in Bolivia
– More income for farmers
– Poor could no more afford quinoa and replaced it with less
nutritious crops
• Substantial soil degradation and a loss of biodiversity of quinoa
varieties ( 3 varieties for 75% production) = monoculture and its
associated problems
• Through investment into agricultural research, quinoa is now
cultivated in many countries, e.g. USA or DK
 Policies needed to avoid harm to food systems and people

24. ©FAO/©GiulioNapolitano
Participants
Over 2.200 people participated in the ICN2
 Eminent personalities
 162 Member States of FAO and WHO +
1 Associate Member + EU + 3 Observers
- 85 Ministers and 23 Vice- Ministers
from Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Health
and other sectors
- 82 Ambassadors and 114 High-level
government officials
 Accredited Observers
- 27 UN and other IGOs
- 164 civil society and private sector
organizations
 Parliamentarians, opinion leaders,
researchers and development experts

25. Outcome documents
 Rome Declaration on Nutrition
commitment for more effective and coordinated
action to improve nutrition
 Framework for Action
a voluntary technical guide for implementation
of Political Declaration

26. Ten ICN2 commitments
 Eradicate hunger and prevent all forms of malnutrition
 Increase investments
 Enhance sustainable food systems
 Raise the profile of nutrition
 Strengthen human and institutional capacities
 Strengthen and facilitate, contributions and action by all
stakeholders
 Ensure healthy diets throughout the life course
 Create enabling environment for making informed choices
 Implement commitments through Framework for Action
 Integrate vision and commitments into post-2015 agenda

27. Framework for Action
 60 policy and strategy recommendations to achieve
better nutrition for all
Thematic areas for action:
- Enabling environment – with multi-sector engagement
- Sustainable food systems for healthy diets
- Nutrition-enhancing investment and trade
- Nutrition education and information
- Social protection
- Strong and resilient health systems, including actions on:
o breastfeeding, wasting , stunting , childhood overweight and
obesity, anaemia in women of reproductive age and health
services to improve nutrition
- Water sanitation and hygiene
- Food safety
- Accountability
 Governments primary responsibility to take action, in dialogue with a wide
range of stakeholders

28. Summary
• Biodiversity and NUS can improve nutrition, health and food
security based on foods.
• Biodiversity can make the difference between nutritional
adequacy and inadequacy and professionals and consumers
need to know more about it.
• Biodiversity needs to be mainstreamed into many policies and
programmes (Voluntary Guidelines).
• Move to nutrition-sensitive agriculture (ICN2).
• The more biodiversity and diverse diets are consumed the lower
the need for fortification and supplementation.

29. Thank you for your attention
Any questions?
Ruth.Charrondiere@fao.org