As the world celebrates the International Year of Biodiversity, R4D Review interviews local conservationists to get their take on how to stem the loss of biodiversity.

Butterfly expert Robert Warren explains why it is important to conduct a survey of butterflies in the IITA forest, one of the last remaining patches of protected areas in Nigeria.

Nigeria’s forests are all but gone. David Ladipo, CEO of CENRAD, calls for immediate action.

Biodiversity and NRM
Biodiversity conservation is key
Insect biodiversity for NRM
Why manage noncrop biodiversity
A research park for Africa
Unlocking the diversity of yam
Cassava: improver of soils
Participatory yam conservation strategies
Smart NRM approaches
DNA barcodes for pathogens
A new food security crop?

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IITA scientists explain about the exciting new work in diagnostics using a combination of conventional biology, biotechnology, and bioinformatics.

The Deputy Undersecretary for Science at the Smithsonian Institution, Scott Miller, discusses the importance of biodiversity conservation and what the Consortium for the Barcode of Life (CBOL) is doing in this area.

IITA is part of a system-wide network that protects agrobiodiversity for genetic improvement and food security using traditional and new molecular tools.

IITA emphasizes the imperatives of yam conservation for improvement and the benefit of millions of farmers relying on this staple.

The debate continues: food or biodiversity conservation? Scientist Emeritus Peter Neuenschwander stresses that natural resources management offers the intellectual platform to integrate the different disciplines in a sustainable manner. He suggests ways in which the CGIAR and IITA can help meet the twin goals of conserving biodiversity while feeding the human population.