English - Convention on Biological Diversity

COUNTRY STUDY FOR BIODIVERSITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
4. USE AND VALUES OF BIODIVERSITY
4.1. Agrobiodiversity
Biological diversity in agriculture is one of the most critical areas of the overall
biodiversity on the globe, with 75% of all food production based upon only about 100
plant species and domestic animals. As civilisations developed, humans strove to create
plant varieties and domestic animals with more useful traits, which contributed to an
increase in the diversity of the genetic resources of the various species. By crossing
various genetic materials, humans began the practical creation of varieties and breeds.
This process has been occurring for at least the past 50-100 years and continues even
now. Today, however, under the pressure of increased profitability, far more specialised
genotypes characterised by the term, “high input – high output,” are being promoted. At
the same time, traditional breeding using natural species is often neglected, although it
often offers the best solutions for the existing conditions in a given environment. As a
result of this tendency, many varieties and breeds have not been able to endure under
this modern capitalistic onslaught and have been lost as genetic resources. This trend is
still continuing, and there are estimates which show that, worldwide, about 30% of
domestic animal breeds have permanently disappeared.
In the Republic of Macedonia, biological resources represented by indigenous
varieties, breeds and species should be preserved for the sake of economic, scientific,
cultural, socioeconomic and environmental interests.
4.1.1. Crops
Macedonia possesses significant agrobiological plant diversity due to its favourable
geographic location and climatic conditions. The diversity of a large portion of the local
species has not been adversely affected because agricultural production is not intensive
in many regions. In such areas, indigenous species and locally-bred varieties are grown,
representing an important source of genetic material no longer appearing within the
genotype of commercial species.
The major portion of the total arable land is used for field and garden production
(84.2%), with the greatest percentage consisting of wheat, tomatoes and peppers. Fruit
and grape production comprises 7.1 %, mostly consisting of native and introduced
grapes (4.4 %), apples and plums. Meadows cover 8.5%, and are most often planted with
alfalfa. The breakdown of grain crops, vegetables and fodder crops is presented in
Annex 6, Table1, whereas that of fruit production in Annex 6, Table 2.
The trends in the production of individual crops vary by year, as evidenced by the
disappearance of some crops (e.g., poppy, flax, hemp and cotton), reducing the diversity
of species cultivated. On the contrary, cucurbit crops, which appear in great diversity but
are not considered an important part of agricultural production, are expected to cover
about 2,000 ha in 2005.
The bulk of the crops produced consist of commercial varieties, the major portion of
which are imported from abroad, with a minor number of locally-developed varieties,
mainly created by the Institute of Agriculture in Skopye. Small producers still grow local
varieties and indigenous species, especially in garden plant production. The number of
varieties/species used in agricultural production within Macedonia is evidence of great
biological diversity. There are 129 recognised domestic varieties and 2,205 imported
varieties used domestically. A detailed review of the number of varieties by crop is
presented in Annex 6, Table 3.
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