—by Heather Brian
The world’s food security could be threatened by the failure to conserve the wild plant species that are genetically related to the crops grown by mankind for food.
— United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization report, October 2010
The UN Food and Agriculture Organization estimated last year that seventy-five percent of crop diversity present in 1900 was lost during the 20th century. This process has only accelerated with the introduction of new genetically modified (GM) crops, specialty hybrids, and more potent varieties of pesticides and herbicides.
