Landraces and indigenous varieties

    Landraces and indigenous varieties are groups of genetically similar crops from various plant species that have evolved for hundreds of years and adapted to the microenvironmental conditions of each region. They cover all agricultural crops, like cereals, pulses, vegetables, fruit trees and vine. They originate from wild related species that were domesticated by humans and evolved over very long periods of time and spread across large areas. In the course of their development, these varieties acquired many desirable characteristics such as sweet taste, attractive aroma, beautiful shape and resistance to diseases and adverse growing conditions. Due to its geographical location, the mild climate and intense relief as well as owing to the fact that agriculture has been practiced for thousands of years in the region, Greece hosts a wealth of local varieties. However, the modernization of agriculture has led to a decline in the cultivation of landraces (local/traditional varieties) since the beginning of the last century. Farmers not only in Greece but around the world have adopted new genetically improved varieties (cultivars) with dramatically increased productivity that have been able to meet the food needs of the growing population of the world. This however came with an environmental cost. At the same time, the decline in landraces grown meant that a very high percentage of them amounting to roughly 75% of the total worldwide population of indigenous varieties was lost. In Greece it is estimated that the depending on the group of agricultural species the corresponding loss varies being high for cereals and much smaller in the case of vine. 

    However, the need for conservation of local and indigenous varieties is imperative, pressing and multidimensional. First of all, they are a lifeline supporting livelihoods in many rural regions in Greece while being linked to environmentally friendly farming practices. Ermioni pomegranates, Prespa beans, Taxiarchis figs of Evia, Kaplountzas wheat, high quality Greek grape and olive varieties, Eglouvi lentil of Lefkada, fava from Santorini and Feneos, Corinthian raisins, Katsouni from Amorgos are among the hundreds of landraces and indigenous varieties grown in Greece.

    Moreover, the importance of agricultural biodiversity is not only linked to the need to produce food in a changing world but also to preserving traditions. If we lose the landraces and indigenous varieties the wealth of traditions of rural communities as well as the knowledge of century old farming practices that constitute an intangible cultural heritage, will also disappear.

    In addition, landraces and indigenous varieties are the key to developing better ways to grow our food in the future. This is because the wealth of genetic material can serve as a basis for cross-breeding and producing new improved varieties with desirable characteristics such as higher productivity, resistance to adverse growing conditions and diseases. Especially in the era of climate change the need for developing resilient food systems means that indigenous varieties are of crucial importance. The development of integrated policies for the protection and conservation of landraces and indigenous varieties is therefore as relevant as ever for the welfare of current and future generations. 

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