Organising differently for increased crop diversity

Since the advent of agriculture, cultivating a diversity of crops has been fundamental to provide the food and material needed for our daily lives. Countries and regions have their own heritage of crops reflecting the diversity of agricultural landscapes and local farming traditions. Different crops provide different culinary qualities but also a variety of root systems, which influence microbial interactions in the soil, as well as secure micronutrients needed for healthy soil and human diets.
The growing of two or more crops in the same field have been a common practice in many indigenous and pre-industrialised farming systems to mimic the synergetic relationship between plants in undisturbed ecosystems. However, today crop diversification is almost absent in farming landscapes of the Global North despite the ability to reply to urgent needs of enhancing resilience to climate change, protecting biodiversity, reducing reliance on chemical inputs, modifying dietary choices and health outcomes. Instead specialisation and monocultural practices is dominating not just on a local but on global scale as e.g., proteins are grown in South America in form of soya beans while European farmers have specialised in cereal production.
Originally, “The Green Revolution” played a key role in meeting societal needs by averting the imminent prospect of mass starvation in many countries in the mid-20th century. Significant technological advancements increased agricultural productivity through high-yielding crop varieties, along with the use of synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. However, also with the side effect of losing local crop genetic diversity and traditional farming practices with critical environmental impacts.
A utopian society would prioritise the cultivation of a wide range of crops to ensure a diverse and balanced cropping system as well as diet. In such environment, farmers would meet the varied demands of consumers, who complement by buying a wider selection of fresh, nutritious, and flavourful food. However, such utopia is challenged by current paradigm of productivity and economic growth. A paradigm strengthened by consolidation of large companies, which results in a smaller number of dominant players in the agrifood industry leading to centralisation of power and limited choices for both farmers and consumers.
We argue that organising differently around the chain of food production, distribution and consumption might unlock the appreciation of crop diversification. An equal distribution of power to especially those actors placed in growing and eating can enable a translating of the actual value of foods into the market. This requires new kinds of engagement among actors supported by institutional encouragements to foster farmer cooperatives, promote open-source seeds, strengthen antitrust laws, invest in sustainable farming R&D, enhance transparency, preserve traditional crop varieties, foster collaboration, and educate consumers for informed choices.
Engaging in restauration of the long-lasting sources of soil fertility through crop diversification might also develop us as humans. Food has the power to evoke memories, connect us to our heritage, and foster a sense of belonging. By reintroducing crop diversification in our culinary traditions, exploring regional cuisines, we tap into environmental stewardship, social justice, and the well-being of both farmers and communities.