The Silent Extinction: How a European Network is Racing to Save Our Food Heritage
A groundbreaking initiative to preserve plant genetic diversity for future generations
The Invisible Crisis Beneath Our Feet
What if I told you that a silent extinction is happening in fields across Europe—one that could ultimately threaten our food security, cultural heritage, and ability to adapt to climate change?
This isn't about the disappearance of charismatic mammals or colorful birds, but of something far more fundamental: the diversity of the plants we eat.
Over the past century, we've lost countless traditional crop varieties, known as landraces, along with their wild relatives. These ancient plants represent a priceless genetic treasury that has evolved over millennia to survive specific local conditions, pests, and climates. In response to this quiet crisis, scientists, farmers, and conservationists across Europe have joined forces to create an ambitious safety net: the European Network for In Situ Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources 1 6 . This groundbreaking initiative aims to ensure that the building blocks of our food system are preserved not just in seed banks, but in the living, evolving landscapes where they've traditionally thrived.
Genetic Diversity
Preserving the building blocks of our future food supply
Cultural Heritage
Safeguarding centuries of agricultural knowledge
Climate Resilience
Protecting traits needed for adaptation to changing conditions
What Exactly Are Landraces?
To understand this conservation effort, we must first grasp what's at stake. Landraces are traditional crop varieties that have developed over centuries through both natural selection and farmers' careful stewardship. Unlike modern uniform cultivars, landraces are genetically diverse populations that have adapted to specific local environments and farming practices 2 .
Imagine an elderly Italian farmer growing a peculiar tomato variety that her family has cultivated for generations—one that thrives in precisely the microclimate of her hillside village, requires minimal water, and possesses remarkable resistance to local diseases. That's a landrace. It's not just a plant; it's a living repository of genetic information, traditional knowledge, and cultural identity 2 .
Landraces vs. Modern Cultivars: A Tale of Two Crops
| Characteristic | Landraces | Modern Cultivars |
|---|---|---|
| Genetic Diversity | High heterogeneity and variability 2 | Uniform and genetically standardized |
| Adaptation | Local environmental conditions 2 | Broad geographical suitability |
| Yield | Moderate but stable under low-input conditions 9 | High but dependent on optimal inputs |
| Selection History | Natural selection and farmer selection 2 9 | Formal scientific breeding programs |
| Stress Resistance | Often high tolerance to local biotic/abiotic stresses 2 | Variable, may require chemical protections |
Why Do These Ancient Crops Matter?
Genetic Reservoirs for an Uncertain Future
Landraces are not merely relics of agricultural history—they are living insurance policies for our food security. Consider that today's high-yielding commercial crops typically have a narrow genetic base, making them vulnerable to new pests, diseases, or climate shifts. When such threats emerge, where do plant breeders turn for solutions? Very often, to the hardy genetic diversity preserved in landraces 2 9 .
Spanish wheat landrace 'Aragon 03', developed in the 1940s, carries exceptional drought tolerance that remains valuable in our warming world 2 . The famous Japanese wheat 'Norin 10' provided the dwarfing genes that revolutionized wheat production during the Green Revolution, while 'Aka Komugi' landrace contributed the Rht8c allele for drought tolerance 2 . These genetic treasures hidden in seemingly unremarkable traditional varieties have shaped agricultural history.
Cultural Heritage on the Brink
Beyond their genetic value, landraces represent an intricate tapestry of cultural heritage, traditional knowledge, and regional identity. They're often intertwined with local dialects, celebrations, culinary traditions, and farming practices 2 . The extinction of a landrace isn't just the loss of a plant—it's the erosion of cultural diversity and ancestral wisdom.
Tragically, this diversity is disappearing at an alarming rate. A 2003 study warned that "both taxonomic and genetic diversity are being lost at an increasing rate" in Europe, with 24% of certain plant groups threatened 5 . While the exact scale of genetic erosion is difficult to quantify, virtually all plant species are currently suffering loss of genetic variation to varying degrees 5 .
Threat Level to European Plant Genetic Resources
The European Conservation Blueprint: From Seed Banks to Living Landscapes
The Power of In Situ Conservation
While seed banks (ex situ conservation) play a crucial role in preserving plant genetic resources, they have limitations. Seeds in cold storage aren't evolving alongside changing climates and emerging pests. The European network therefore emphasizes in situ conservation—preserving landraces in the living landscapes where they've traditionally been grown 6 8 .
This approach allows these dynamic populations to continue adapting to changing conditions through natural selection and traditional farmer management. It's conservation through use, recognizing that the very act of farmers growing, selecting, and sharing these seeds is what has maintained their diversity and resilience for centuries 8 .
The Farmer's Pride Project: Building the Network
The groundbreaking Farmer's Pride project has been instrumental in developing the scientific foundation for this European network 6 8 . Running from 2017-2020, this EU-funded initiative brought together diverse stakeholders to create a unified approach to conserving Europe's plant genetic resources.
Data Collection
Gathering 19,335 records of landrace populations maintained in situ across 14 European countries 8
Hotspot Identification
Applying criteria to identify 100 diversity hotspots based on genetic distinctiveness, socio-economic value, cultural importance, and threat of genetic erosion 8
Network Design
Developing a framework to evaluate how well a network of sites could secure national and regional landrace diversity while facilitating access to these resources 8
Stakeholder Analysis
Surveying farmers, seed companies, protected area managers, policymakers, and researchers to understand needs and opportunities 8
European Landrace Conservation Hotspots
Conservation Value Assessment Criteria
A Closer Look: Assessing Landrace Vulnerability
In February 2024, researchers with the European Cooperative Programme for Plant Genetic Resources (ECPGR) published a groundbreaking practical threat assessment methodology specifically designed for crop landraces 8 . This work represents a significant advance in conservation science, providing tools to quantify risks that had previously been assessed only anecdotally.
The Assessment Framework
The researchers developed a step-by-step protocol that evaluates multiple vulnerability factors 8 :
- Population Data Collection: Documenting the number of remaining growers, field size, and population trends
- Seed System Analysis: Mapping how seeds are saved, exchanged, and circulated
- Threat Identification: Cataloging specific risks from climate change, pest pressures, market forces, and cultural abandonment
- Genetic Erosion Scoring: Quantifying the loss of unique genetic variants over time
This methodology allows conservationists to objectively compare vulnerability across different landraces and prioritize interventions for the most threatened varieties.
Primary Threats to European Landraces
| Threat Category | Prevalence (%) | Impact Severity (1-5 scale) | Conservation Response |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abandonment of Cultivation | 65% | 4.5 | Develop new markets & value chains |
| Seed Replacement | 58% | 3.8 | Strengthen seed exchange networks |
| Climate Change Impacts | 47% | 4.2 | Identify & utilize adaptive traits |
| Market Marginalization | 42% | 3.5 | Create economic incentives |
| Loss of Traditional Knowledge | 38% | 4.1 | Document & transmit knowledge |
The assessment revealed that socio-economic factors often pose more immediate threats than ecological ones. The rapid abandonment of traditional farming practices and breakdown of seed exchange networks emerged as critical drivers of genetic erosion 8 .
The Scientist's Toolkit: Key Resources for Plant Genetic Conservation
Ecogeographic Surveys
Document variation in plant populations across environmental gradients to identify adaptive traits and conservation priorities 5
Genetic Reserve Design
Establishing protected areas specifically for genetic conservation to protect crop wild relatives in their natural habitats 5
On-Farm Conservation
Maintaining landraces in traditional farming systems to preserve both genetic diversity and traditional knowledge 8
Seed Banking
Long-term preservation of seeds under controlled conditions to safeguard genetic material for future use
Participatory Plant Breeding
Involving farmers in crop improvement programs to develop locally adapted varieties while maintaining diversity 9
Threat Assessment Methodology
Standardized evaluation of extinction risk to prioritize conservation action for most vulnerable landraces 8
Our Shared Responsibility: The Path Forward
The establishment of the European Network for In Situ Conservation and Sustainable Use of Plant Genetic Resources represents a paradigm shift in how we approach conservation. It acknowledges that preserving agricultural diversity requires more than just locking seeds away in vaults—it demands active engagement with the living, evolving systems that generate and maintain this diversity 6 8 .
While significant progress has been made, the work is far from complete. The network continues to develop, facing challenges of secure funding, policy integration, and the need for public engagement 8 . Meanwhile, climate change accelerates the urgency of this work, as the genetic traits preserved in landraces may hold the key to crop resilience in a warmer world 2 .
Each landrace lost represents a unique chapter in our agricultural story permanently closed—a set of genetic solutions to environmental challenges that we may desperately need in the future. The European network offers a hopeful model for how we might preserve not just individual varieties, but the dynamic processes that have sustained agricultural diversity for millennia. Through this collaborative effort, we honor our past while sowing the seeds for a resilient, diverse, and sustainable food future.
As consumers, gardeners, farmers, and citizens, we all have a role to play in this conservation story. Whether by supporting farmers who maintain traditional varieties, growing heirloom plants in our gardens, or advocating for policies that protect agricultural diversity, we can each contribute to preserving the delicious, resilient, and irreplaceable diversity of our food heritage.