Research and development in agricultural biodiversity

• The main aim of enhancing the agricultural biodiversity is to improve people’s wellbeing. Major output expected include:

a) Establishing a strong evidence base to show how agricultural biodiversity provides nutrition and related health benefits.

b) Identifying new biodiversity-based income options for the rural and urban people.

Conservation and enhancement of agricultural biodiversity

• Compost from crop-residues, tree litter and other plant/organic residues.
• Intercropping and cover crops, particularly legumes, which add nutrients, fix nitrogen and pump nutrients to the soil surface.
• Use of mulch and green manures.
• Integration of earthworms or other beneficial organism and biota into the soil to enhance fertility, organic matter and nutrient recycling.
• Elimination or reduction of agrochemicals-especially toxic nematicides-that destroy diverse soil biota, organic material and valuable soil organism.