Summary
This review, published in Advances in Nutrition, synthesises evidence linking agrobiodiversity — encompassing diversity of crops, livestock, fish, and wild foods — to dietary diversity and nutritional health. The authors argue that declining agrobiodiversity, driven by agricultural intensification and market homogenisation, is a significant but underappreciated driver of poor dietary quality and micronutrient deficiencies globally. The paper likely calls for greater integration of biodiversity considerations into nutrition policy and food systems programming.
UK applicability
The paper's primary focus is global and is particularly relevant to food systems in low- and middle-income countries; however, its arguments regarding the nutritional consequences of agricultural homogenisation have applicability to UK agri-environment and food policy debates, particularly in the context of post-Brexit farming reform and discussions around dietary diversity and sustainable diets.
Key measures
Dietary diversity scores; species diversity indices; nutrient intake adequacy; nutritional status indicators (e.g. stunting, micronutrient deficiency prevalence)
Outcomes reported
The paper examines the relationships between agricultural biodiversity — including crop, livestock, and wild species diversity — and dietary diversity, nutrient intake, and human health indicators. It reviews evidence on how greater agrobiodiversity at farm and landscape levels can improve nutritional outcomes, particularly in low- and middle-income country contexts.
Topic tags
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