Crop genetic diversity

This publication is the result of the International Conference held in Frankfurt, Germany 14-16 June 2011 organized in the framework of an International UN Project funded by IFAD “Reinforcing the resilience of poor rural communities in the face of food insecurity, poverty and climate change through on-farm conservation of local agrobiodiversity”.

Agrobiodiversity, which includes the diversity of plants, animals, fish, trees and microbes that are used directly or indirectly for food and agriculture, is the foundation of sustainable agricultural development. But demand has grown for new knowledge and skills to address the multifunctionality of sustainable agriculture and the interconnectedness of biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and human health.

The effects of household characteristics on crop diversity are examined using household-level data based on a stratified random sample of 180 households from two districts in Zimbabwe, Uzumba-Maramba-Pfungwe and Tsholotsho.