Economic Role of Biodiversity – Biodiversity and Conservation

Agro-biodiversity can be defined as the diversity of crops consumed by humans for their livelihoods. Another term to define agro-biodiversity is ‘agricultural biodiversity.

The main reason behind introducing this term is that, the use of biodiversity products in human diet and medicine through cultivation and natural resources is known as agriculture and not simply bio-diversity.

Biodiversity is seen as a reservoir of resources to be drawn upon for the manufacture of food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products.

For all humans, biodiversity is first a resource for daily life. Such a diversity in crops is also called agro biodiversity. Most people see biodiversity as a reservoir of resources to be drawn upon for the manufacture of food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic products.

This concept of biological resources management probably explains most fears of resources disappearance related to the erosion of the biodiversity. However, it is also the origin of new conflicts dealing with rules of division and appropriation of natural resources.