Our Challenge: Life (Food) for Everyone Barbara Burlingame, PhD Principal Nutrition Officer FAO

Problems Diets are not sustainable – 1 billion hungry people – 2 billion people with micronutrient malnutrition – 2 billion people overweight and obese Environments are not sustainable – ecosystems degraded – biodiversity forever lost Agriculture is not sustainable – monoculture, intensive livestock industries, agricultural chemicals, waste/losses, inefficiencies.

Technical Workshop Biodiversity and Sustainable Diets 31 May & 1 June 2010

Survey Results

Sustainable Diets are those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to healthy life for present and future generations. Sustainable diets are protective and respectful of biodiversity and ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable; nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy; while optimizing natural and human resources. Source: FAO,

Secretary General’s ZHC

CFS Roma, 14th October 2010 Stunting prevalence and number affected in developing countries Stunting (%) Number of stunted (millions) AFRICAASIALATIN AMERICA Source: Department of Nutrition, World Health Organization

CFS Roma, 14th October 2010 Overweight prevalence and number affected in developing countries Overweight (%) Number of overweight (millions) AFRICAASIALATIN AMERICA Source: Department of Nutrition, World Health Organization

Environmental footprint Source: Mediterranean Diet Foundation, 2010

Food losses and waste Source: Global Food Losses and Waste, FAO, 2011

Water footprint household waste of wheat products in the UK Source WRAP, 2011 UK Total agricultural water footprint 70km 3 /yr (280L/cap/day) 60% of this is external UK Food losses translate into water impacts all over the planet

Dietary energy and annual cereal production Total population: % female, % male Prevalence of overweight/obesity: %women, %men, %children Average kg excess body fat/cap Annual national production of commodity Energy content of commodity: kcal and kJ –e.g., wheat in Egypt = 3 kcal/g or 12.3 kJ/g 1 kg body fat = kJ = 2.6 kg wheat

Women in Egypt

Women in Ghana

Intakes above recommendations = food waste

Biodiversity and nutrition Dietary energy supply can be satisfied without diversity Micronutrient supply cannot be satisfied without diversity

Rice cultivar differences in nutrient content

Extent of genetic uniformity in rice

International Rice Commission 20 th Session The Commission recommended that: Existing biodiversity of rice varieties and their nutritional composition need to be explored before engaging in transgenics. Nutrient content needs to be among the criteria in cultivar promotion. Cultivar-specific nutrient analysis and data dissemination should be systematically undertaken. FAO (2002). Report of the International Rice Commission 20th Session (23-26 July 2002, Bangkok). FAO, Rome.

International Rice Commission 20 th Session The Commission recommended that: Member countries should promote the sustainable development of aquatic biodiversity in rice-based ecosystems and policy decisions and management measures should enhance the living aquatic resource base. In areas where wild fish are depleted, rice-fish farming should be considered as a means of enhancing food security and securing sustainable rural development. Attention should be given to the nutritional contribution of aquatic organisms in the diet of rural people who produce or depend on rice. FAO (2002). Report of the International Rice Commission 20th Session (23-26 July 2002, Bangkok). FAO, Rome.

Traditional use and availability of aquatic biodiversity in rice-based ecosystems CambodiaChinaLaos Fish Crustaceans625 Molluscs148 Amphibians2410 Insects2316 Reptiles8-7 Aquatic Plants Total Source: Balzer, Balzer, Pon, 2002; Luo, Xaypladeth

WATER Animal protein “costs” more water protein content and protein quality calculations calculations per 100g dry matter protein waste with intakes above recommendations = water waste water cost for other foods+nutrients

Livestock Composition of milk from minor dairy animals and buffalo breeds: a biodiversity perspective Elinor Medhammar, Ramani Wijesinha-Bettoni, Barbara Stadlmayr, Emma Nilsson, Ute Ruth Charrondiere, Barbara Burlingame

Nutrients, ecosystems and traditions Mongolia –landlocked –food insecure n-3 fatty acids –FAO/WHO = 2 g/day Mares’ milk, local breed, genetic trait Biodiversity of grasslands

Sweet potato varieties: α - and β-carotene, mg/100g fresh wt

Bananas and vitamin A <5 µg carotenes <8500 µg carotenes

Improving the Evidence

26th FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR EUROPE 26th FAO REGIONAL CONFERENCE FOR EUROPE Innsbruck, Austria, June 2008 Promotion of Traditional Regional Agricultural and Food Products: A Further Step Towards Sustainable Rural Development The Conference Many delegations highlighted the Mediterranean Diet as rich in biodiversity and nutritionally healthy. The promotion of the Mediterranean Diet could play a beneficial role in the sustainable development of agriculture in the Mediterranean region. remarked that the goal of increased global food production, including bio fuel, should be balanced against the need to protect biodiversity, ecosystems, traditional foods and traditional agricultural practices.

Challenges BIODIVERSITY

Note that the degradation of ecosystems and the loss of food biodiversity is contributing greatly to the increases in poverty and malnutrition in Africa; Recognize that returning to local crops and traditional food systems is a prerequisite for conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity for food and nutrition; Acknowledge that local foods are the basis for African sustainable diets. The Door of No Return House of the Slaves Gorée Island