[IFAD] Biodiversity sustains life. Healthy ecosystems are diverse ecosystems, with countless animals, plants, fungi and bacteria working together to sustain a complex balance.
The health of an ecosystem starts from the ground up: from the worms and fungi that make soil fertile to the insects that pollinate plants and trees. Genetic diversity within plant species, too, makes crops resilient to threats like new diseases and changing weather patterns. And healthy ecosystems can shield human homes from floods, drought, and other effects of climate change.
In fact, the availability and quality of food all over the world depends on biodiversity. And at IFAD, we believe that small-scale farmers are amongst its greatest stewards and beneficiaries.