Global vegetable biodiversity decline threatens nutrition and climate resilience

A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences warns of a global decline in vegetable biodiversity and consumption. Researchers, led by Maarten van Zonneveld of the World Vegetable Center, highlight that the average person consumes 40% fewer vegetables than recommended for a healthy diet.

Beyond quantity, the variety of vegetables being cultivated and sold is shrinking. Agricultural industrialization, monocultures, and genetic modifications aimed at standardization have reduced the diversity of crops reaching consumers. For example, while over 4,000 varieties of potatoes exist, only a small fraction are commonly grown commercially.

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimates that 24% of wild vegetable relatives are at risk of extinction. Losing this genetic diversity threatens nutritional security and reduces the ability of crops to adapt to climate change. Experts emphasize that solving food security requires not just producing more vegetables, but increasing the variety of species grown.