Kiran M Basnet
Caritas Nepal, Nepal
Title: Exploitation of the agro-biodiversity conservation and utilization approaches at the local level
Biography
Biography: Kiran M Basnet
Abstract
The crop diversity which constitutes the food sustaining life on Earth should be considered as an important component of sustainable agro-ecosystem. But at present times, the existent crop diversity or Agro-biodiversity (ABD) is declining at a rapid state as a result of massive encroachment of agriculture lands to adjust need for urbanization and major research and development aspect centered on just a few crops and their varieties. The most sidelined are local crop genotypes and minor crops which are rightly called as ‘Neglected and Under-utilized Species (NUS)’ consisting of different crops ranging from cereals, vegetables, legumes, fruits, roots and tubers. While the major crops and their improved varieties have gained much importance in the research and development prospect such initiatives are weak and poor concerning the local crops and their varieties alongside NUS. As a result, these crops remain at the verge of extinction which once used be principal crops feeding the local communities. There is a real need for a complementary approach amongst the scientists (researchers) and farmers to share their idea, skills and knowledge develop core projects and implement them to meet the common goal of ABD conservation and utilization at the local level. At such level, ABD conservation and utilization such as diversity fairs, home gardens, Participatory Seed Exchange (PSE), Community Seed Bank (CSB) and Participatory Crop Improvement (PCI) can play a vital role for establishing sustainable agriculture and thus securing food needs of the people in the short and long term.