Scientists have stated that the decrease in vegetable diversity worldwide could negatively impact both human health and the sustainability of the global food system.
According to Modern.az, a group of international experts in nutrition, agriculture, and botany believes that in addition to increasing vegetable production, it is also important to preserve and cultivate more types and varieties. The results of the study were published in the journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences” (PNAS).
According to researchers, in most countries, people consume approximately 40% less vegetables than recommended for a healthy diet. Low vegetable intake is considered one of the main nutrition-related risk factors and contributes to the increase in diseases worldwide.
However, it is emphasized that the problem is not only related to the quantity of vegetable consumption. As a result of agricultural industrialization, the genetic diversity of vegetables is also decreasing. In mass production, preference is given to a limited number of varieties that are easier to grow, store, transport, and sell.
For example, there are more than 4,000 varieties of potatoes in the world, but only 5-8 varieties are widely used. Scientists state that similar processes are observed in other vegetables.
According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately 24% of vegetable crops, evaluated at the species level, are facing the threat of extinction.
According to scientists, the loss of plant species also means the loss of genetic resources that can contain important nutrients. These resources can also help agriculture adapt to climate change.
What do scientists propose?
The study authors propose the preservation of traditional varieties and species of vegetable plants, the expansion of their use in agriculture, and their inclusion in food security strategies.
According to them, preserving vegetable diversity can improve human nutrition, increase the resilience of agriculture to climate risks such as drought and high temperatures, and reduce the food system's dependence on a small number of mass-produced crops.
Experts recommend giving more preference to local and traditional vegetable varieties in daily life, buying produce from farmers and markets, and for gardeners to grow various varieties and save seeds for future plantings.
