What does agro-biodiversity refer to?

Agro-biodiversity refers specifically to the variety of plants and animals cultivated and utilized in agriculture. This includes the diversity of crops, livestock, and other organisms that contribute to agricultural production and ecosystems. The importance of agro-biodiversity lies in its role in enhancing food security, improving agricultural resilience against pests and diseases, and providing a range of ecosystem services.

By maintaining a rich genetic diversity among crop species and livestock breeds, agro-biodiversity supports the ability of agricultural systems to adapt to changing environmental conditions, such as climate change. It fills vital roles in ecosystem stability, nutrient cycling, and overall agricultural sustainability.

While farming techniques, soil types, and agricultural technologies are all important factors in the agricultural landscape, they do not encapsulate the concept of agro-biodiversity, which specifically focuses on the variety of biological entities within agricultural systems.