Enviro News Asia, Nairobi — Africa must take urgent action to protect plant genetic resources that are vital for food security, nutrition, and climate resilience, according to findings from the Third Report on the State of the World’s Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
The findings were presented during the Africa regional launch of the report held in Nairobi, Kenya, on 12–13 February 2026. The event was co-hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the CIFOR-ICRAF.
The report indicates that crop species, including their traditional varieties, wild relatives, and other wild plants harvested for food, are being lost at a faster rate than they are being conserved. These genetic resources play a critical role in enabling agrifood systems to adapt to climate change, which is increasingly marked by erratic rainfall patterns and extreme weather events.
According to the report, the erosion of crop diversity undermines the ability of African agrifood systems to respond effectively to climate-related stresses and threatens long-term food availability and nutritional quality across the continent.
Chikelu Mba, Deputy Director of the Plant Production and Protection Division at FAO, warned that the rapid loss of plant genetic diversity poses a serious risk to Africa’s food systems. He emphasized that crop diversity, including farmers’ traditional varieties and wild food plants, is essential for developing improved and climate-resilient crop varieties.
Mba noted that many of these genetic resources may disappear before their full potential can be harnessed, limiting options for future generations to address food insecurity and climate challenges.
FAO and its partners stressed that stronger conservation efforts, supportive policies, and increased investment in the sustainable management of plant genetic resources are needed to secure Africa’s food and nutrition systems in the face of growing climate pressures. (*)
