Local aspects of agrobiodiversity in the context of sustainable development

This paper provides a detailed examination of the concept of agrobiodiversity, emphasizing its various interpretations and assessment approaches. It is noted that agrobiodiversity can be interpreted as a concept or principle, a natural phenomenon or process, a system of indicators, or even a resource. The absence of a universally accepted numerical measure of this phenomenon complicates its quantitative evaluation. However, existing approaches allow agrobiodiversity to be considered a type of overall biological diversity. Various diversity indices are often applied for its assessment. In particular, the level of agrobiodiversity in agroecosystems, as an indicator of agricultural production, is a component of the ABI index used by the FAO to assess the sustainability of economic development in different regions. This study analyzes the dynamics of the agrobiodiversity index in the Lviv region over three decades, particularly in the fields of crop production and animal husbandry. The Shannon diversity index was used for calculations, based on statistical data regarding the structure of sown areas of major agricultural crops and the livestock population of key agricultural animal species. The results indicate that the level of agrobiodiversity in crop production generally increased, whereas in animal husbandry, it tended to decline. At the same time, the yield of all major agricultural crops showed a steady increase, reflecting positive changes in production technologies and improvements in agricultural efficiency. The paper also substantiates the key economic factors influencing the level of agrobiodiversity. It was found that economic approaches can either contribute to increasing biodiversity or lead to its decline, depending on farming strategies and market conditions. The prospects for preserving agrobiodiversity are directly linked to enhancing regional food security, strengthening resilience to climate change and global environmental challenges, supporting traditional farming practices in certain areas, and creating the prerequisites for the sustainable development of the region as a whole.