Biodiversity of Vegetables: Sustainable Food and Nutritional Security in Coastal Areas

Abstract

Coastal agriculture is characterized by low-lying and saline-prone soils where spatial competition with urban growth coupled with food and nutritional security is an ever-increasing problem. Projections of the precise magnitude, frequency and regional patterns of the impacts from climate change on coastal agriculture are uncertain. Integrated Farming Systems (IFS) coupled with different technologies like different forms of floating garden and embankment cultivation need to be adopted for mixed cropping system that encompasses vegetables, fruits, plantation crops, spices, herbs, ornamental and medicinal plants as well as livestock that can serve as a supplementary source of food and income in the coastal areas. The concept of “biodiversity” has been linked with the emerging issue of “sustainable diets” in exploring solutions for the problems of malnutrition in its various forms, while addressing the loss of biodiversity and the erosion of indigenous and traditional food cultures. The purpose is to promote the development of new sustainable food production and consumption models. Urgent action is needed to develop and adopt different region-specific Integrated Farming Systems models utilizing available biodiversity and other natural resources scientifically to enhance food and nutritional security in the coastal areas.