Nutrition and biodiversity converge to a common path leading to food security and sustainable development. They feature directly the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger; and ensure environmental sustainability. In combination, nutrition and biodiversity provides the very foundation for achieving these MDGs.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collabaration with Bioversity International (formerly IPGRI) and other organization, is leading a new international "Cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition", under the umbrella of the Convention of Biological Diversity (CBD). The overall aim is to promote the sustainable use of biodiversity in programmes contributing to food security and human nutrition, and to thereby raise awareness of the importance of this link for sustainable development.

Nutrition indicators for Biodiversity

• Expert Consultation on Nutrition Indicators for Biodiversity 1. Food Composition (FAO, 2008) [also available in Spanish and in French]
• Expert Consultation on Nutrition Indicators for Biodiversity 2. Food Consumption (FAO, 2011) [also available in Spanish and in French]
• INFOODS List of underutilized species contributing to the Nutritional Indicators for Biodiversity - in English
• Nutrition Indicator for Biodiversity on Food Composition - Reporting 2010
• Nutritional indicators progress report (FAO, 2012)
• Commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture (CGRFA) - Report of 13th session (2011)

Biodiversity and Nutrition

• FAO Biodiversity and nutrition: A Common path - Fact Sheets [in English]
• World Food Summit Statements on Biodiversity and Food Security [in English]
• Poster: Nutrition Indicators for Biodiversity (in English)
  
• Poster: Nutrient composition of the potato (in English)
  
• Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA): Draft strategic plan for the commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture 2014 - 2021: (in English)
  
• Biodiversity Fact Sheets (in English)
  
• Biodiversity website at FAO 
• Press Release: Secretary-General says loss of biodiversity should raise loudest of alarms
• Commission on Genetic resources for food and agriculture (CGRFA) website
• Gardens of Biodiversity (FAO, 2010) (in English)
  
• Traditional Plant Foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples: Nutrition, Botany and Use (Gordon and Breach Publishers, 2009)
• Indigenous peoples' food systems: the many dimensions of culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and health (FAO, 2009)
  

International treaties and instruments

• The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) website
• CBD: Biodiversity for Food and Nutrition
• The Conference of the Parties, COP Decision VIII/23: Agriculture Biodiversity - Cross-cutting initiative on biodiversity for food and nutrition
• More coming soon

Sustainable diets

• Technical workshop report on 'Biodiversity in Sustainable Diets' 31 May to 1 June 2010 (FAO, 2011)
• International Scientific Symposium on Biodiversity and Sustainable Diets, November 2010 (FAO 2011)
• Click here to take the survey on Sustainable Diets
• Towards the future we want to: end hunger and make the transition to sustainable agricultural and food systems (FAO, 2012)
• Sustainable Diets and Biodiversity - Directions and solutions for policy, research and action (FAO, 2012)
• Sustainable Diets and Water Footprint
• More coming soon