Diversified food system: Policy to embedding crop genetic diversity in food value chains

Summary

Current food systems and associated agricultural practices have led to a loss of crop diversity. The widespread adoption of genetically uniform crop varieties may also increase the vulnerability of production systems and reduce their adaptability to new environmental challenges. DIVERSIFOOD has explored different approaches aimed at increasing crop genetic diversity, and as a result, make biodiverse food available to consumers. These approaches have the potential to promote sustainable, locally adapted farming systems, provide autonomy to farmers, support local short and fair supply chains and reconnect farmers and consumers. In order to support these approaches, the following policy changes are needed:
1) The legal status of heterogeneous cultivars for food diversity needs to be secured to increase the resilience of our food system.
2) Policies for more diverse cropping and food systems in the current CAP reform and national implementation are needed.
3) Networks of multiple actors are crucial to embedding crop genetic diversity in food value chains and should be supported.
4) Raising the awareness about biodiverse food of all actors of the agri-food system and this requires investment in farmer skills, well-informed citizen-consumers and a new food culture involving society at large.
5) To understand and support this process a multi-actor and integrated research approach is needed, based on participatory and democratic methods, inter- and trans-disciplinarity, and a systemic approach.