Convention on Biological Diversity ( COP 7 )

The world has made great strides in reducing hunger, yet the problem of malnutrition, particularly the “hidden hunger” caused by missing micronutrients, constitutes a formidable challenge for the future. Biodiversity has a crucial role to play in mitigating the effects of micronutrient deficiencies, which are debilitating hundreds of millions of people in developing countries, particularly children and women. It is also becoming increasingly recognized that a diet rich in energy but lacking other essential components can lead to heart disease, diabetes, cancer and obesity. These conditions are no longer associated only with affluence; they are on the increase among poorer people in developing countries, especially urban dwellers. A more diverse diet is one key to combat this trend and to healthier lives, with biodiversity, nutrition and conservation coming together in mutuallyreinforcing virtuous circles to the ultimate benefit of all people. Small-scale farmers, especially women, who grow and use diverse crops improve their own health and that of their families, and at the same time improve their incomes by supplying diversity to the market. As healthier, well-nourished people growing a range of appropriate crops, they will better conserve the natural landscapes around them. And when people perceive that agricultural biodiversity has greater value through positive impacts on both income and health, they are more likely to maintain and protect it. Well-nourished people are more productive and will make a greater contribution to the development of their communities. 1 International Plant Genetic Resources Institute, via dei Tre Denari 472a, 00057 Maccarese, Rome, Italy 2 School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, H9X 3V9, Canada 3 To whom correspondence should be addressed.