Africa: Farmers fighting for diversity

Meeting the world's future food needs is dependent on preserving the genetic diversity of the plants we grow and eat, as well as their 'wild relatives'. While collecting and saving the world's seed patrimony in 'gene banks' or ex situ may be a worthy endeavor, a new FAO publication underscores the critical need for efforts that protect agricultural biodiversity on the farm itself or in situ. This means supporting the millions of small farmers and peasants throughout the world who manage diverse species of plants and animals in and around their fields.