Rethinking agrobiodiversity for agricultural sustainability

Agrobiodiversity is a multi-dimensional concept underlying all sustained agricultural productivity. Agrobiodiversity plays especially important roles in complex multifunctional landscapes that blend smallholder production with remnant forests and semi-natural vegetation. We define agrobiodiversity broadly to include five levels of diversity that influence agricultural production: intraspecies genetic variation, diversity of species and varieties in the farmer’s field, range of other species used in and around the farm, overall biodiversity of the landscape where the farm is situated, and large-scale agroecological zones or landforms. With specific reference to farming systems in hyperdiverse India, we highlight the essential roles played by agrobiodiversity in food security maintenance and examine key drivers of current agrobiodiversity loss. Innovative research and policy frameworks supporting agrobiodiversity conservation are urgently needed. We outline policies and initiatives needed to accelerate efforts to restore agrobiodiversity, and conclude by offering five actionable recommendations for rethinking agricultural research and development systems in India and the Global South. These shift the focus onto the essential networks of ecological relationships that support smallholder production. Especially in complex multifunctional landscapes, agrobiodiversity cannot be considered in isolation from wild biodiversity.