ABSTRACT
The conservation and management of agricultural biodiversity is critical to ensure food and nutritional security and to provide humanity with food, fibre, fodder and fuels (Porter et al., 2014; see also Part 1 of this Handbook). Conservation of agricultural biodiversity is also essential for providing novel genetic combinations required for the development of plant varieties and animal breeds to meet the challenges of climate change: in a Science editorial, Swaminathan (2009) noted that the loss of every gene, population or species limits our options to cope with future challenges. Yet it is widely recognised that the diversity of plants, animals and micro-organisms which constitute agricultural biodiversity are under severe threat (FAO, 2010), leading to global calls for action to safeguard them. The State of the World Reports on plants, animals and forest genetic resources (FAO, 1998, 2010, 2009, 2012) and their respective Global Plans of Action, the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), all call on member states to take measures to ensure the ex situ and in situ conservation and sustainable use of these resources (CBD, 2014).
