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 collaboration with Bioversity International (formerly IPGRI) and other organizations, 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
• Nutrition Indicators for Biodiversity - Food Composition and Food Consumption  – reporting 2011 (FAO, 2012)
• Nutrition Indicators for Biodiversity - Food Composition - reporting 2012 (FAO, 2013)
• Nutrition Indicators for Biodiversity – Food Composition and Food Consumption – reporting 2013 (FAO, 2013)
• Nutrition Indicators for Biodiversity – Food Composition and Food Consumption – summary of 2013 (poster)
• Nutrition Indicator reporting from Biodiversity Indicators Partnership (BIP) website
• CGRFA (2013) Targets and Indicators for Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture  [also available in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian]
• CGRFA-15/15/4 (2014) Targets and Indicators for Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture [also available in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian]

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 website at FAO 
• Commission on Genetic resources for food and agriculture (CGRFA) website
• Gardens of Biodiversity (FAO, 2010) (in English)
• Indigenous peoples' food systems and well being: interventions and policies for healthy communities (FAO, 2013)
• Indigenous peoples' food systems: the many dimensions of culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and health (FAO, 2009)

Policy Advice

• Voluntary Guidelines for Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Policies, Programmes and National and Regional Plans of Action on Nutrition [brochure]. The Guidelines aim to support countries in the development of nutrition-sensitive agriculture practices that consider the nutrient composition of biodiversity for food and agriculture to address malnutrition in all its forms.
• Commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture (CGRFA) - Report of 15th session (2015). See appendix C with the endorsed ‘Voluntary Guidelines for Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Policies, Programmes and National and Regional Plans of Action on Nutrition’. Here the Portuguese version.
• Special Event on Food Security and Genetic Diversity, Rome, Italy, 16 January 2015. See the webcast of all presentations at: http://www.fao.org/webcast/home/en/item/3153/icode/ where at 2h50 there will be the presentation on Genetic resources and nutrition (Ms Ruth Charrondiere, FAO)
• Side events: look specifically for the side event organized by FAO and Bioversity International ‘Mainstreaming biodiversity for improved human nutrition and well-being: moving from global initiatives to local action’ which includes all presentations.
• CGRFA (2015) working document CGRFA-15/15/6 Biodiversity and Nutrition of the 15th regular session held on 19-23 January 2015 (also available in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian). It includes the ‘Draft Guidelines for Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Policies, Programmes and National and Regional Plans of Action on Nutrition’
• CGRFA (2014) paper on ‘Biodiversity and nutrition’ of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (CGRFA/WG-PGR-7/14/6) and Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Forest Genetic Resources (CGRFA/WG-FGR-3/14/6). It is available in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Arabic and Chinese.
• Commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture (CGRFA) - Report of 14th session (2013)
• CGRFA (2013) Review of Key Issues on Biodiversity and Nutrition [also available in French, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese and Russian]
• CGRFA (2013) Linkages between Biodiversity, Food and Nutrition – English only
• CGRFA (2013) Possible Ways to Better Generate, Compile and Disseminate Cultivar-Specific Nutrient Composition Data – English only
• CGRFA (2013) Characterization of different Food Systems, including Traditional Food Systems, in relation to Biodiversity and Nutrition – English only
• Commission on genetic resources for food and agriculture (CGRFA) - Report of 13th session (2011)
• CGRFA - Report of 11th session (2007) (para 35 on food composition)
• CGRFA (2005) Support for countries to generate, compile and disseminate cultivar–specific nutrient composition data, and the relative priority of obtaining cultivar–specific dietary consumption data (CGRFA/WG-PGR-3/05/5) of the Intergovernmental Technical Working Group on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
• International Rice Commission (IRC): Report of the 20th Session (2002)

International treaties and instruments

• Convention on Biological Diversity (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

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

1. Designing nutrition-sensitive agriculture investments. Checklist and guidance for programme formulation.

2. Voluntary guidelines for mainstreaming biodiversity into policies, programmes and national and regional plans of action on nutrition [brochure]. The Guidelines aim to support countries in the development of nutrition-sensitive agriculture practices that consider the nutrient composition of biodiversity for food and agriculture to address malnutrition in all its forms – which are now under policy advice

3. Guidelines on Assessing Biodiverse Foods in Dietary Surveys
These guidelines are the output of a FAO Technical Meeting in 2013. They will guide researchers and other nutritionists on how to modify food consumption instruments to better capture the consumption of biodiverse foods. These data can be linked to food composition data (e.g. see data in the FAO/INFOODS Food Composition Database for Biodiversity at  www.fao.org/infoods/infoods/tables-and-databases/faoinfoods-databases or in national or regional food composition tables and databases), so that in the future we will be in a better position to value the contribution of biodiversity to nutrient intakes. This might then be the basis of better targeted programmes and policies in nutrition and agriculture.

4. “LET’S GO LOCAL” Guidelines Promoting Pacific Island Foods. Prepared by Dr. Lois Englberger (FAO, 2011)