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Abstract

The diversity of biological resources retained for use within modern agriculture is recognized to be one very important input within that production system. It contributes to the increased productivity, resistance and resilience of modern crops, providing improved returns to the farming industry across the earth. These improved returns provide private incentives for the conservation of biodiversity for agriculture, and there are industries which make it their business to conserve genetic resources for these purposes. There are other values of biological diversity which flow more to society at large rather than to the agricultural industry. These more global values of biological diversity may be described within an economic framework. They are insurance and informational values. The public interest in the conservation of genetic diversity for agriculture should be in support of these more global values.

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What is the Public Interest in Biodiversity Conservation for Agriculture?

Abstract

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