Bioversity International/ P. Lepoint

Agricultural Biodiversity: an essential asset for the success and resilience of family farmingPablo Eyzaguirre, Stephan Weise, Ann Tutwiler 27 October 2014

Family farms producing cocoa maintain a vast amount of associated agrobiodiversity in cocoa stands. For example, a study in Cameroon found that the average cocoa farm comprises 308 associated non-cocoa trees/ha. (Sonwa et al., 2009)

Family farms producing cocoa maintain a vast amount of associated agrobiodiversity in cocoa stands. For example, a study in Cameroon found that the average cocoa farm comprises 308 associated non-cocoa trees/ha. (Sonwa et al., 2009)

Agricultural Biodiversity- A key Asset for Family farmers

Two main assets that family farmers

have are agro-biodiversity and the

gendered knowledge of the ecosystem

in which their farms are embedded.

Banana is a staple food of Ugandan

family farmers as well as a multi-

purpose cash crop. They safeguard the

greatest diversity in banana cultivars. Bioversity International/P. De Santis

Burundi Tanzania

Bioversity International/ P. Lepoint

KU Leuven/ R. Swennen

Family Farmers grow commodity cash crops and other food crops in a system that maintains biodiversity

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Bioversity International\R. Markham

Ghana

Worldwide, 5 to 6 million family cocoa farms produce approximately 90% of the world’s cocoa on farms with only 2 to 5 hectares providing a direct cash livelihood for 50 million people.

(ICCO, 2011, WCF, Cocoa Facts and Figures 2012)

Family farms producing cocoa maintain vast amounts of associated biodiversity in cocoa stands. A study in Cameroon found that the average cocoa farm comprises 308 associated non-cocoa trees/ha. (Sonwa et al., 2009)

Ghana

Bioversity International/J. Raneri Bioversity International/J. Raneri

Colombia

Bioversity International/X Schelderman

In West Africa, Tropical America and the Caribbean, many studies have confirmed the significant amount of biodiversity such as pollinators, honeybees, migratory birds, soil biota that is safeguarded on these farms supporting long term productivity as well healthy ecosystems

Costa Rica

• Bioversity International\C. Zanzanaini

Document the full range of family farm systems• What they produce, the range of plant and animal products

they produce including varieties and breeds• How much they contribute to the total food and nutrition

security in their respective countries• How their stock of gendered knowledge, agrobiodiversity

and management practices confers resilience in the face of changing environments and shocks.

• What innovations in family farming can be supported and upscaled.

IYFF places family farmers at the centre os sustainable production and the safeguarding of Biodiversity and famer knowledge

www.bioversityinternational.org

Thank you