No one thinks of food as biodiversity.

No one thinks of food as biodiversity.

Underutilised crops; the next frontier of biodiversity conservation.

The ancestors of the modern Sri Lankan, lived in harmony with their environment. The symbiotic nature of their coexistence with nature is evident in the annals and accounts that chronicle the history of the island. Sri Lankan culture is still imbued with vestiges of that past – though faint and fading, the last bastions of which lie within rural, underdeveloped areas among vulnerable, low-income agrarian communities.

These ancient people who once foraged, the vast forests and wildernesses of the island’s many different climate zones – later domesticated and cultivated those same native plant species, passing on the knowledge of their uses and benefits to the generations that would follow. Though a small island barely half the size of the United Kingdom, Sri Lanka is home to over 700 plant species with agricultural value. A truly phenomenal statistic which speaks to the wealth of the island’s plant biodiversity.

Mother nature was kind to our forbearers, their diets included a variety of grains, yams, vegetables, legumes, leafy greens and fruits. The food they ate was organic, nutritious, varied, and most importantly were not reliant on supply chains nor impacted by the fluctuations and volatility of the global marketplace. Seasonal and climactic changes dictated a fresh menu, instead of instilling a fear for food security.

The culinary tradition of Sri Lanka is simple, hearty and homely. Even today, the ethos of ‘if it’s edible we can make it into a delicious Curry’ is alive and well. However, the choice of grain, yam, vegetable, legume, grain, leafy green and fruit has dwindled to a mere handful. The reasons for which, in the grander scheme of things, lie beyond the control of the individual. Profitability, global stakeholders, the interests of multinational agriculture corporations, media and geopolitics each play a role at the macro-level of shaping regional and national diets.

However, at a micro or nano-level, this lack of variety can largely be attributed to a lack of awareness and the limited availability of alternatives. In general, the rural and urban consumers are dependent on commercially grown crops which are available at supermarkets, market and grocery stores . Farmers and rural agrarian communities cultivate commercial crops as these are crops that have demand. It is a cycle which without purposeful intervention, strategic policies and funding initiatives, will systematically exclude and over time run into complete obscurity ‘underutilised’ traditional heirloom crops.

Sri Lanka has strived to preserve and conserve its natural wealth and biodiversity. It is one of only three countries in the world where the population density is more than 300 per square kilometre and the forest population is maintained at 30%. Accordingly, apart from Sri Lanka, only two countries, namely South Korea and Japan, maintain such a forest system (source: Sri Lanka Department of Forest Conservation).
As the population and demand for natural resources rapidly increases, will these conventional methods on their own suffice to ensure the conservation of Sri Lanka’s biodiversity?

The simple answer is no.

That is why the need for innovative solutions is imperative. Reintroducing traditional, underutilised crops to modern Sri Lanka is one such solution – it is a fresh take on biodiversity conservation. Many of these traditional heirloom crops have a climate resilient potential and well adapted to Sri Lanka’s climate and hence can be cultivated with a minimal use of harmful pesticides. They are nutrient-dense and abundant – though not commercially grown. In this era of rapidly advancing impacts of climate change these plants have the potential to play a key role in strengthening food security and meeting the nutritional requirements of the Sri Lankan people.

Food miles are a key topic in the discussion regarding commercial agriculture, supply chains and climate change. As the distance produce must travel from farm to plate increases, the cost of the produce, the amount of fossil fuels used for transport, the amount of chemicals used to preserve the produce and spoilage also increase. The farming of underutilised crops can reduce food miles, as there are many plants that are suited for the different climatic areas of Sri Lanka and can be grown and thrive locally.

The socio-economic crisis of 2022 had severe impacts on the purchasing power of many vulnerable low-income families and communities in the most underdeveloped regions of the country. Though many of these communities may be aware of the food potential of these plants, it has fallen out of habit and is not a practiced behaviour to consume them. Vulnerable communities in urban areas, simply do not have access to these alternative foods, and this needs to change.

The United Nations Development Programme and the World Food Programme (WFP) in Sri Lanka in partnership with the Ministry of Environment recently launched a campaign titled ‘Lesser-known foods of Sri Lanka’ to build awareness about underutilised crops and promote their cultivation and consumption.

This campaign was initiated as an activity of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded Early Action Support (EAS), which plays a critical role in accelerating Sri Lanka’s implementation of the Global Biodiversity Framework by integrating biodiversity conservation into national policies and strategies. Collaborating with WFP’s network of over 30000 caterers enrolled in its their Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) project. The campaign aims to reach over 200,000 school children across seven districts with lesser-known foods and familiarise the youth with Sri Lanka’s wealth of edible plants, the health benefits of a diversified diet, and the importance of conserving biodiversity.