Indigenous crop diversity maintained despite the introduction of major global crops in an African centre of agrobiodiversity

The global expansion of a handful major crops risks eroding indigenous crop diversity and homogenising agroecosystems, with significant consequences for sustainable resilient food systems. Here, we investigate the farm-scale impact introduced on agroecosystems. We surveyed 1369 subsistence farms stratified across climate gradients in Ethiopian Highlands, hotspot agrobiodiversity, to characterise richness cultivated area 83 edible they contained. further categorise these as being Ethiopia, or three different eras. apply non-metric multidimensional scaling mixed effects modelling agroecosystem composition proportions crops. Crops from periods do not differ significantly frequency abundance farms. Among geographically matched pairs farms, those higher modern had overall richness. Furthermore, high proportion showed heterogeneity composition. An analysis socio-economic drivers indicated that poverty is negatively associated In our case study, patterns are necessarily agrobiodiversity loss at farm scale homogeneity agricultural Importantly, socioeconomic factors may influence farmers' propensity adopt novel species, suggesting targets extension policies. Given rapid climatic, economic demographic changes impacting systems threats security entail, robust enriched diverse help maintain resilience.