The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in its latest report, titled, ‘The State of the World’s Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture 2019’, has flagged the growing practice of monoculture in food production around the world.
Of more than 6,000 plant species cultivated for food production, fewer than 200 contribute significantly to food production globally, regionally or nationally. Only 9 plant species account for almost two-thirds of total crop production.
The report talks about how rural-to-urban migration is more common among working-age men. As the proportion of the elderly and women rise in villages, cropping systems are abandoned for pastures and livestock, requiring less labour.
The report lists drivers of change affecting biodiversity for food and agriculture, including:
