Beyond the gene horizon: sustaining agricultural productivity and enhancing livelihoods through optimization of crop and crop-associated biodiversity with emphasis on semi-arid tropical agroecosystems

Increasing international attention is being given to the role and productive value of biological diversity in agriculture. Recognizing the potential of agricultural biodiversity and the services it provides will be key to meeting future food needs while maintaining and enhancing other goods and services, such as clean air and clean water, provided by agricultural ecosystems. FAO and ICRISAT are joining forces to further the understanding of the contribution of crop and crop-associated biodiversity (C-CAB) in sustainable agriculture in the semi-arid tropics (SAT). In order to address some of the key components of C-CAB, FAO and ICRISAT organized a joint workshop in late September 2002. The meeting was intended to generate animated exchanges between experts from different disciplines. Its outputs aim to provide a first step, not only in further understanding the role and value of main components of C-CAB for sustainable agriculture production intensification and livelihoods benefits, but also in identifying linkages and synergies between components of C-CAB in production systems for strategic interventions.