Global food systems require fundamental transformations for food and nutritional security. Based on decades of research and behavior, the new call to action recommends pathways to unlock the benefits of Agrobiodiversity for nutrition, ecosystems and communities.
Behind this challenge is the lack of equitable access to food production and distribution, food waste, and healthy diets.
Our food systems have significant environmental externalities, such as loss of biodiversity, land degradation, and greenhouse gas emissions.
Ecosystem degradation exacerbates the lack of adequate food and nutrition, threatens future food security and genetic benefits.
Poverty, inequality in food access and proper diet, and low wages are some of the social externalities of the current food system.
Malnutrition contributes to poor food systems
According to the 2025 Food Security and Nutrition World (SOFI) report, food insecurity increased in Africa in 2024, with over a billion people, or two-thirds of the population, consistently not accessing healthy diets or getting healthy diets. Globally, malnutrition continues to exist in children and women.
Only three commodity staples – rice, corn and wheat – provide two-thirds of the calories people burn. These have limited nutritional value and contribute to a decline in health.
Furthermore, crop products, commonly produced on an industrial scale, require large quantities of chemical fertilizers and pesticides that promote environmental collapse, climate change, and the extinction of many species.
To address this issue, experts around the world launched the 2025 Kunming Manifesto: Agrobiodiversity for People and Planet at the 2025 Africa Food Systems Forum (AFSF) Annual Summit held on September 3 in Dakar, Senegal on September 3.
The role of agriculture in improving food production and security.
“If we are trying to transform our global food system, we need to encourage plate biodiversity and bring back fully utilized crops in the field of farmers and our table,” said Carlofadda, director of food and agriculture biodiversity at Bioburgitity International and CIAT.
Fadda reiterated the essential needs of stakeholders across the food system, from farmers and practitioners to policy makers, researchers, government agencies, funders, agribusinesses, food processors, distributors and other stakeholders, from farmers and practitioners to policy makers, researchers, government agencies, funders and other stakeholders.
Additionally, parliamentary experts called for agriculture to be a key component of the Rio Convention on Climate, Biodiversity and Desertification.
Currently, these forums often overlook agriculturality in these forums, but they demonstrate the possibility that practices can contribute to solving problems that continue to struggle.
The admins of agricultural biological styles, which are primarily evacuated by the modernization of agriculture, their knowledge and expertise are essential to the policy, research and market access tools needed for agriculture to flourish.
The manifesto explores the relationship between agriculture, climate resilience, ecosystem health, nutrition, economic livelihoods, and social equity.
More stakeholders need to cooperate
The document includes examples from China, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Uganda. All show how communities, researchers, and international organizations provide lasting benefits to human, environmental and socioeconomic health based on agriculture.
However, making them scalable requires greater involvement from donors, investors, policymakers and the private sector.
Fadda said: “Productivity can be addressed through a combination of research, funding and policies to support it, and funding for agriculture is right in front of us.
“Now is the time to put agricultural biology at the forefront for the benefit of people and planets, along with improving soil and water management.”
Examples of how Agrobiodiversity works
The document includes examples from China, France, Indonesia, Kenya, Mexico, Peru and Uganda. All show how communities, researchers, and international organizations provide lasting benefits to human, environmental and socioeconomic health based on agriculture.
However, making them scalable requires greater involvement from donors, investors, policymakers and the private sector.
In CGIAR’s contribution, one case study evaluates how community seed banks in Kenya and Uganda, supported by the Alliance between 2010 and 2023, provided appropriate and sustainable seed security to over 10,000 people. More affordable, diverse, nutritious foods. And almost $100,000 for sale of seeds and products derived from agricultural and native tree species.
Fadda concluded:
“As in the Manifesto Show case studies, one of its major benefits is that multi-stakeholder collaboration can quickly bring nutrition, environmental and economic benefits to vulnerable communities by supporting the rich agricultural properties that these communities already have.”
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