Agriculture as conservation: the in situ conservation of crop landraces in Switzerland, Turkey and Nepal

Abstract

Biodiversity conservation and agricultural production systems overlap in their management methods and goals. Conservation recognises that for effective outcomes local people must become partners in the development and application of conservation programmes. Agriculture strives to apply ecologically sustainable practices while ensuring productivity and profitability is maintained within the industry. Applications of in situ agrobiodiversity conservation practices have the potential to unify these goals by fostering the effective evaluation of diversity within agricultural systems. The reasons why in situ agrobiodiversity conservation is required within societies are examined. The aim of retaining diversity on farmers’ fields is linked to both conservation and development. A comparison is made between opportunities to establish in situ programmes in Switzerland, Turkey and Nepal. These nations have varying degrees of socio-economic and agro-ecological opportunity for agricultural development and biodiversity conservation. It is argued that effective in situ agrobiodiversity conservation can play a vital role in alleviating socio-ecological risks generated by an on-going neo-classical approach to globalisation