Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Deforestation and forest degradation are two of the main causes of the progressing loss of terrestrial biodiversity and are continuing at an alarming rate worldwide, especially in tropical countries. The underlying drivers of forest destruction vary from region to region, but can be linked mainly to human activities such as land use pressure and related policies.

The term agrobiodiversity refers to genetic variability in plants, animals and micro-organisms of economic value. In the past, several thousand plants were used for purposes of food, feed, fibre, fuelwood, fertilizer and medicine. As agriculture advanced, the human food secruity systems began to depend not only on fewer and fewer plant species, but also on a small number of varieties. Such genetic vulnerability to pests and diseases as well as to soil and climatic stresses.