FORMER Philippine Rice Research Institute (PRRI) executive director Leocadio Sebastian has cited the role of biodiversity in sustaining agriculture during the recent 40th scientific conference and anniversary of the Crop Science Society of the Philippines.

In his discussion on the importance of agricultural biodiversity, Sebastian said agrobiodiversity can also help solve hunger, malnutrition and poverty, and provide ready resources for adapting to climate change.

Agricultural biodiversity is a subset of plant, animal and micro-organisms biodiversity useful for food and agriculture. Diversity in agriculture has evolved and adapted to varied growing conditions through natural and human selection.

Sebastian, who led PhilRice from 2000 to 2008, said the effective conservation and management of agricultural biodiversity ensures a “reservoir of genetic resources for use in crop or livestock improvement; resilience and stability of agricultural production systems; and genetic building blocks for developing adaptation mechanisms in response to changes in the environment.”

Concerned with the “hidden hunger” suffered by more than 2 billion people worldwide, Sebastian emphasized that agricultural biodiversity provides a ready resource in alleviating micronutrients and vitamins deficiencies, and in diversifying diets.

Sebastian, who commended the current program of the Bureau of Agricultural Research in promoting the consumption of neglected and underutilized food sources, said Filipinos can achieve better health and nutrition by including unpopular food sources in their diet.

In the Philippines, underutilized vegetables and fruits that are nutritious include alugbati, kulitis, malunggay, pako, saluyot, jackfruit, pomelo and guava.

To help farmers hurdle new weather patterns, Sebastian called for the conservation of a wide array of crops as the genetic pool will give farmers and plant breeders new sources of material helpful in developing resistant varieties.

PhilRice officials also claimed that alternative crop management involving the use of diversity can help crops become resilient and stable amid the effects of climate change.