{"id":13490,"date":"2024-08-21T16:00:20","date_gmt":"2024-08-21T20:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/?p=13490"},"modified":"2024-08-21T15:46:47","modified_gmt":"2024-08-21T19:46:47","slug":"the-significance-of-food-biodiversity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/seeds.ca\/schoolfoodgardens\/the-significance-of-food-biodiversity\/","title":{"rendered":"The Significance of Food Biodiversity"},"content":{"rendered":"

Written by: Michelle Tran
\nEdited by: Avah Manu
\nDesigned by: Eleanor Jeavons
\nPublished by: Rayna Almas<\/p>\n

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An Introduction to Food Biodiversity<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

B<\/span>iodiversity is the variety of plant and animal life on Earth. Biodiversity provides our environment with <\/span>a variety of organisms, which is why we have so much diversity in living things<\/span>. Food diversity is the reason we can split our foods into different categories including meats and alternatives, grains, vegetables and fruits, and dairy.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Biodiversity Loss<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

The loss of biodiversity does not only impact humans but also impacts ecosystems where our wildlife are found. It is crucial that we protect our biodiversity as our food systems depend on it.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"Believe it or not, our food systems are the main issue that result in biodiversity loss. Food production is responsible for a quarter of the world\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions, widely impacting climate change. This further endorses biodiversity loss across the planet.<\/span><\/p>\n

Demands for higher yields from farmers around the world have caused them to increase their use of pesticides and fertilizers which has also resulted in biodiversity loss (Zurich, 2023).<\/span><\/p>\n

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Another <\/span>cause of biodiversity loss is overconsumption (World Bank Group, 2022). A popular human activity is buying more than what we need. With consumers leading the food industry, many unpopular foods are forced to be thrown out globally, which\u00a0 contribute to the yearly food waste. Additionally, 58% (35.5 tonnes\/$49.46 billion) of all food is lost in Canada annually, while 32% of it could have supported Canadians (Second Harvest, n.d.). Buying what you need rather than what you want can help prevent food waste, and helps protect food biodiversity.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Why is Biodiversity Important to Humans?<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

There are many reasons why biodiversity is important to us, including:<\/span><\/p>\n