{"id":48030,"date":"2024-05-30T13:11:51","date_gmt":"2024-05-30T12:11:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/?p=48030"},"modified":"2024-05-30T13:11:51","modified_gmt":"2024-05-30T12:11:51","slug":"strengthening-food-security-through-genetic-biodiversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.innovationnewsnetwork.com\/strengthening-food-security-through-genetic-biodiversity\/48030\/","title":{"rendered":"Strengthening food security through genetic biodiversity"},"content":{"rendered":"

A new UK project will enable farmers in Central America to improve food security through genetic biodiversity.<\/h2>\n

Genetic biodiversity can improve livelihoods and show resilience to climate change by providing access to locally adapted seeds.<\/p>\n

The British Ambassador to Guatemala, Nick Whittingham, visited Huehuetenango on 24 May within the framework of the project \u2018Community-based agro-biodiversity systems for improved livelihoods and climate resilience<\/a>\u2019.<\/p>\n

The project is funded through the Darwin Initiative of the British government’s Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).<\/p>\n

How climate change is impacting food security in Central America<\/h3>\n

Climate change<\/a> affects agricultural production in Central America, which threatens food security.<\/p>\n

This makes the region highly vulnerable to droughts, high temperatures, increased rainfall in short periods and hurricanes.<\/p>\n

Likewise, crops are experiencing a loss of agrobiodiversity due to changes in land use and deforestation.<\/p>\n

Due to these issues, the United Nations estimates that 6.5% of Latin America’s population<\/a>, or 43.2 million people, suffer from hunger.<\/p>\n

How can genetic biodiversity address these issues?<\/h3>\n

In response to these problems, the project will focus on genetic biodiversity.<\/p>\n

It will develop varieties of corn and bean seeds that adapt to changing climate conditions in collaboration with local organisations and farmers.<\/p>\n

The project will also seek to strengthen collaboration between local seed banks and national banks of other grain varieties in the region, allowing the project to benefit approximately 3,000 families.<\/p>\n

The project started in July 2023 and will end in December 2025. The British government has financed it with almost Q6 million (approximately $760,000).<\/p>\n

The project is implemented in Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica by a consortium of organisations made up of:<\/p>\n