Tuesday marked the start of a travelling campaign highlighting the importance of biodiversity when it comes to feeding the world.

The NGO Swissaid has organised a “seed march” that will make stops in a number of Swiss towns over the next two weeks.

At the centre of the campaign are farmers and other experts from Guinea-Bissau, India, Nicaragua and Niger. In a series of events held jointly with Swiss specialists they will share with the public their knowledge and experiences about biodiversity.

According to Swissaid, just 15 plant species and eight animal species account for 90 per cent of the world’s food.

The seed march is meant to drum up enthusiasm for more variety both in the fields and on dinner plates. It will culminate in an outdoor exhibition and festival in Bern on June 4.

The United Nations has named 2010 the International Year of Biodiversity.

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