China’s Agrobiodiversity: From Rice Terraces to Seed Banks (Shoba Suri – Observer Research Foundation)

With its extensive and diverse agroecological zones, China ranks among the 12 global hotspots for agricultural biodiversity. This richness—deeply embedded in the country’s diverse landscapes and cultures—has conventionally supported food and nutrition security for a population of over 1.4 billion. However, rapid modernisation, industrial agriculture, and climate change are now significantly pressurising China’s agrobiodiversity, making it challenging to achieve sustainable agriculture and nutrition security.

China’s Agrobiodiversity: From Rice Terraces to Seed Banks