Dominique Guenat1, Nathalie Oberson1, Rahel Wyss1, Simon Attwood2, Roseline Remans2
¹Bern University of Applied Sciences, School of Agriculture, Forest and Food Sciences HAFL, Switzerland; ²Bioversity International, Italy
Diversity of diets, of the crops and animal products produced, of the varieties and wild relatives of these crops, and of the cultures and actors managing and benefitting from this diversity is increasingly identified as key to multiple dimensions of food system sustainability and integrated in the Sustainable Development Goals. Agrobiodiversity contributes to climate change adaptation, to resilient livelihoods, and healthy diets.
Seed systems, formal and informal, are the gateway to much of the crop diversity used in agricultural systems. Rapid changes in food systems, driven by urbanization, dietary change, commercialization, and other, pose new demand and pressures on seed systems but also offer new opportunities to increase access to a diversity of seeds tailored to different farmers’ needs.
This session will bring researchers, public and private partners together to discuss and identify critical leverage points in seed systems for managing agrobiodiversity in sustainable development. The session will include a key note presentation, four short panel presentations, followed by a panel and plenary discussion.