Sustainable Agriculture and Food: Four volume set (Earthscan Reference Collections)

34 The Global Food System

late ripening; fields usually ripened so unevenly that it was impossible to harvest
them at one time without losing too much over-ripe grain or including too much
under-ripe grain in the harvest’ (Stakman et al, 1967). These mixtures of traditional
varieties may not have yielded well, but did give some insurance against pest and
disease attack. Modern wheat varieties introduced in Mexico in the 1940s and 1950s
were soon susceptible to new races of rust, and were quickly overcome.
Similar simplification occurred during rice modernization in Asia. In Central
Luzon, Philippines, for example, all 25 varieties grown by farmers in the mid-
1960s were traditional varieties. By 1980, the total number of varieties grown had

Table 1.6 Decline in diversity of crops and livestock in a selection of locations

India Once more than 30,000 rice varieties grown; now expected that just 10

rice varieties will soon cover 75 per cent of rice area.

Philippines Before the modernization of early 1970s, 3500 varieties of rice existed;

now only 3–5 are grown in irrigated areas.

Europe Half of all the breeds of domestic animals (horses, cattle, sheep, goats,

pigs and poultry) have become extinct since the beginning of the 20th

century; a third of the remaining 770 breeds are in danger of

disappearing by 2010.

France 71 per cent of apple production from one variety, Golden Delicious;

30 per cent of bread wheat from 2 varieties and 70 per cent from 10

varieties;

In the SE, the Provençal diet contained 250 plant species at beginning

of 20th century; now it comprises only 30–60.

Greece 95 per cent of local wheat varieties lost since 1920s.

The

Netherlands

A single potato variety covers 80 per cent of potato land;

90 per cent of wheat planted to 3 varieties;

75 per cent of barley planted to 1 variety.

UK 68 per cent of early potatoes planted to 3 varieties;

4 wheat varieties account for 71 per cent of wheat area.

US Since 1900:

6121 apple varieties lost (85 per cent)

2354 pear varieties lost (88 per cent)

546 garden pea varieties lost (95 per cent)

516 cabbage varieties lost (95 per cent)

394 field maize varieties lost (91 per cent)

383 pea varieties lost (94 per cent)

329 tomato varieties lost (81 per cent)

295 sweet corn varieties lost (96 per cent)

Now:

71 per cent maize area planted to 6 varieties

96 per cent pea area planted to 2 varieties

65 per cent rice area planted to 4 varieties

76 per cent snap bean area planted to 3 varieties

Sources: Pimbert, 1993; FAO, 1993; Soetomo, 1992; Fowler and Mooney, 1990