3rd International Agrobiodiversity Congress to be held in China

With the theme “Agrobiodiversity for People and Planet”, this conference (scheduled for 22 – 25 April 2025 in Kunming, Yunnan, China) aims to share knowledge and identify actions to conserve and sustainably use agrobiodiversity globally.

Background

In the context of the ongoing global food crisis, malnutrition and environmental degradation, there is an urgent need to build more diverse, resilient and sustainable food systems to nourish a growing population. However, the current global food system is overly reliant on a limited number of species and varieties, which are highly susceptible to pests and diseases, climate change and land degradation, which can also lead to further biodiversity loss.

Agricultural biodiversity – also known as agrobiodiversity - is a critical component of biodiversity overall, including species, genetic and ecosystem diversity of plants, animals and microorganisms for food and agriculture. Agrobiodiversity plays an indispensable role in ensuring food and nutrition security, responding to climate change, and improving human livelihoods, and makes a vital contribution to achieving global sustainable development goals. To this end, the international community places high importance on the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity. Under the initiative and promotion of the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, the successful convening of the international agrobiodiversity congress first occurred in New Delhi, India, in 2016, and Rome, Italy, in 2021. These events significantly advanced academic exchange and sharing of experience in the field of agrobiodiversity. The resulting Delhi Declaration and Rome Manifesto on agricultural biodiversity were issued proposing feasible solutions and action guidelines to address related challenges.

The Third International Agrobiodiversity Congress is set to take place in Kunming, Yunnan, China in April 2025. China is a major agricultural country and one of the eight centers of crop diversity in the world. It has a long history of domesticating, cultivating, and preserving a vast array of agrobiodiversity. It also boasts extensive experience and numerous successful case studies in the conservation and utilization of agrobiodiversity. The congress serves as a concrete step towards implementing the Kunming Declaration on Biodiversity and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. At the same time, it will: provide a platform for exchange and cooperation among policymakers, scientists, producers, entrepreneurs and farmers related to the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity around the world; identify solutions to the climate and food crisis through the application of agrobiodiversity; foster shared commitments and collaborative actions; and reinforce the critical role that agrobiodiversity plays in securing global food security and improving human quality of life.

Objectives

l Offer a platform for the global community to share knowledge, technologies, and experiences in managing agrobiodiversity.

l Facilitate the exchange and evaluation of the current status, challenges, and trends in the global conservation and utilization of agrobiodiversity.

l Discuss and put forward priority areas, objectives and actions, and innovative financing mechanisms that require global reinforcement in the context of agrobiodiversity conservation and use.

Expected outputs

l New knowledge, technologies and experiences shared from global research on conservation and utilization of agrobiodiversity, along with mechanisms for collaboration and exchange.

l New ideas and solutions proposed, including innovative financing mechanisms, to address the challenges in conserving and using agrobiodiversity.

l Release of the 2025 Kunming Manifesto: Agrobiodiversity for an Effective Food System.

Congress theme and topics

The theme of the Congress is “Agrobiodiversity for People and Planet”, and will be elaborated through six topics:

Topic 1: Agrobiodiversity for economic growth.

This topic includes elements of crop selection and their potential for livelihood, farmer-led seed systems, processing of a diverse array of crop products, challenges and opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries. The topic will also examine the circular economy and associated business models contributing to poverty reduction, livelihoods and jobs.

Topic 2: Agrobiodiversity for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

This topic will discuss the restoration of ecosystem with agrobiodiversity for carbon sinks, the adaptability of species, varieties, traits or genes to climate change, the role of integrated farming system in reducing carbon emissions, and the importance of carbon or climate finance in advancing the biodiversity and climate agenda.

Topic 3: Agrobiodiversity for improved environmental health and biodiversity.

This topic will delve into implications of diverse production systems for land degradation and biodiversity, management of agroforestry and other multifunctional farming systems, soil biodiversity and integrated soil fertility management, pollination and other ecosystem services, and well as investment in biodiversity credits and other environmental integrity-related investment.

Topic 4: Agrobiodiversity for healthy diets.

This topic will explore the consumption side of agrobiodiversity, including the implications of the triple burden of malnutrition and the benefits of incorporating a wider range of agrobiodiversity into our diets. It will also examine the role of nutritious and healthy diets, the functional components of underutilized species, and the importance of local food markets in providing access to a diverse array of food products for food and nutrition security.

Topic 5: Agrobiodiversity for gender and social inclusion.

This topic will emphasize the roles of farmers, particularly women and youth, in managing and using agrobiodiversity and associated traditional knowledge. It will also examine community and smallholder farmer practices in on-farm management of agrobiodiversity, supporting the farmers’ capacity to utilize agrobiodiversity for sustainable livelihoods in an inclusive manner, and the perspective for community seedbanks.

Topic 6: Policies and incentive mechanisms for agrobiodiversity management.

This topic will explore the impact of trade policies, land tenure and other regulations that may hinder the effective use of biodiversity. It will consider incentives such as compensation for the maintenance of agrobiodiversity and agroecosystems, as well as agricultural trade and finance for agrobiodiversity and associated seed systems. The topic will also examine national and international legal frameworks that govern the conservation and use of agrobiodiversity.

Major Programs

l Scientific exchange: plenaries, sessions, and posters.

l Dialogues: there will be dialogues with the invited guests on the related topics.

l Case exhibition: diversity management in species, varieties and landscapes.

l Visit: Germplasm Bank of Wild Species at Kunming Institute of Botany of Chinese Academy of Sciences.

l Pre-& Post-tour: tour important sites in Yunnan and China organized through tourism companies and paid by participants themselves.

International Steering Committee

Chair: WU Kongming, CAAS, China

Co-chair: Juan Lucas Restrepo, Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT, Italy

International Scientific Committee

Chair: LIU Xu, CAAS, China

Co-chair: ZHU Youyong, YAU, China

Co-chair: Carlo Fadda, Alliance of Bioversity & CIAT, Italy

Invitation to participants

The organizers warmly invite all relevant policy makers, researchers, entrepreneurs, conservationists, students from around the world to participate in the Third International Agrobiodiversity Congress, either in person or online, to contribute their ideas, knowledge, and experiences towards promoting the conservation and utilization of agrobiodiversity. This event addresses key challenges we face today: food and nutrition security, climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation, and equitable and sustainable development.

Contacts

Next announcement

The next announcement with details for participation will be available by 1st September 2024.

Detailed contents can be accessed by clicking on the original website:

https://alliancebioversityciat.org/stories/3rd-international-agrobiodiversity-congress-be-held-china