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Title: Australia’s food system is highly dependent on foreign crop diversity

Author
item Khoury, Colin
item ACHICANOY, HAROLD - International Center For Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
item SOSA, CHRYSTIAN - International Center For Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
item NAVARRO-RACINES, C - International Center For Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
item CASTANEDA-ALVAREZ, NORA - International Center For Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
item NORTON, SALLY - Australian Centre For International Agricultural Research

Submitted to: Symposium Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/15/2016
Publication Date: 3/14/2016
Citation: Khoury, C.K., Achicanoy, H.A., Sosa, C.C., Navarro-Racines, C., Castaneda-Alvarez, N.P., Norton, S.L. 2016. Australia’s food system is highly dependent on foreign crop diversity. Symposium Proceedings. Australian Botanic Garden, Mount Annan, NSW 14–16 March 2016.

Interpretive Summary: The food crops that are now produced or consumed in Australia were initially domesticated and evolved over time in specific geographic regions across the planet. Genetic diversity within these crops and their wild relatives is considered to be particularly rich within these regions, but loss of this genetic diversity in the past century has increased the importance of conservation. Here we assess the degree to which the food supplies and agricultural production systems of Australia are comprised of crops from different regions of diversity worldwide. We determine the level of dependence of the country upon crops from regions of diversity other than its own (“foreign crops”). Australia’s food system is comprised of a broad range of crops originating in regions distributed around the world. The country is extremely dependent on foreign crops in its food supplies (93% as a mean across food supply variables) and in its national production systems (99.8%). Direct measures of genetic resources distributions from the Australian Grains Genebank and from internationally important genebanks to Australian recipients confirm the broad use of foreign genetic resources in research and breeding. These studies bolster evidence for the need for effective national and international policies to promote genetic resource conservation globally and facilitate exchange internationally.

Technical Abstract: The food crops that are now produced or consumed in Australia were initially domesticated and evolved over time in specific geographic regions across the planet. Genetic diversity within these crops and their wild relatives is considered to be historically particularly rich within these regions. Loss of this genetic diversity in the past century has increased the importance of conservation in genebanks where these genetic resources can be made available for present and future crop improvement. Here we assess the degree to which the food supplies and agricultural production systems of Australia are comprised of crops from different regions of diversity worldwide. We determine the level of dependence of the country upon crops from regions of diversity other than its own (“foreign crops”). Australia’s food system is comprised of a broad range of crops originating in regions distributed around the world. The country is extremely dependent on foreign crops in its food supplies (93% as a mean across food supply variables) and in its national production systems (99.8%). Direct measures of genetic resources distributions from the Australian Grains Genebank and from internationally important genebanks to Australian recipients confirm the broad use of foreign genetic resources in research and breeding. These studies bolster evidence for the need for effective national and international policies to promote genetic resource conservation globally and facilitate exchange internationally.