The Lighthouse and the Potato: Internalizing the Value of Crop Genetic Diversity

Crop genetic diversity underpins long-term world food security, allowing agriculture to adapt to changing insect pests, plant diseases, and environmental conditions. This crucial form of biodiversity is cultivated by small farmers, especially in regions where crops were domesticated or have a long evolutionary history, such as Meso-America in the case of maize and beans or the Andean mountains in the case of potatoes. Many of the farmers who sustain this global public good are very poor. Today crop genetic diversity is being eroded as these farmers shift to "modern" varieties or abandon farming in the face of competition from imports. This paper reviews possible policy responses, making the case for community-based solutions that reward farmers who cultivate diversity.