Story perspectives

Report Links Veg Biodiversity to Health, Planetary Resilience

8/9/2026

Summary

Story summary

A U.S. team published a PNAS report linking vegetable biodiversity to better health and planetary resilience.
The report says global vegetable intake is about 40 percent below recommendations, a top-five dietary risk, and notes that 24 percent of wild relatives face extinction, according to the FAO.
Researchers, quoting Maarten van Zonneveld of the World Vegetable Center, urge gardeners to grow landrace and heirloom varieties, save seeds, and shop at farmers’ markets.

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Story summary

A U.S. team published a PNAS report linking vegetable biodiversity to better health and planetary resilience.
The report says global vegetable intake is about 40 percent below recommendations, a top-five dietary risk, and notes that 24 percent of wild relatives face extinction, according to the FAO.
Researchers, quoting Maarten van Zonneveld of the World Vegetable Center, urge gardeners to grow landrace and heirloom varieties, save seeds, and shop at farmers’ markets.