The links between biodiversity and poverty

Poor people, especially those living in areas with low agricultural productivity, depend heavily and directly on genetic, species and ecosystem biodiversity to support their livelihoods. This support takes the shape of contributions to health and nutrition, reduced vulnerability, crop and stock development, and off-farm resource use. However, their livelihood needs are often subordinated to the interests of more powerful groups, so they receive fewer benefits from biodiversity, and bear most of the cost of development actions that reduce biodiversity.