About 75% of the world’s food comes from just 12 plant species and five animal species, according to data by the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD).
The figure was shared by the CBD and Slow Food International during the International Day for Biological Diversity in 2019. The theme that year was “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health.”
The data shows that while people may have more food choices in supermarkets, the actual food they eat is becoming less diverse. Countries around the world are increasingly depending on the same crops and animal species for food.
The UN warned that this could put global food security at risk. A food system that depends on a small number of plants and animals can be badly affected by diseases, pests and climate change.
75% of the world’s food is generated from only 12 plants and 5 animal species.
— World of Statistics (@stats_feed) October 7, 2026
There are around 250,000 to 300,000 known edible plant species in the world. However, only about 150 to 200 of them are regularly used as food by humans. Three crops alone – rice, maize and wheat – provide nearly 60% of the calories and protein that humans get from plants.
However, the UN said about 75% of plant genetic diversity has been lost since the 1900s. Farmers have stopped growing many local varieties of crops and started using similar, high-yielding crops. The same problem can be seen among animals.
Around 30% of livestock breeds are at risk of extinction. The UN data also said that six livestock breeds are lost every month.
The study said that animals provide around 30% of the world’s food and agricultural needs. About 12% of the world’s population depends almost entirely on animals called ruminants, such as cattle, sheep and goats, for food and other agricultural products.
The report also stated that dependence on a few crops can become dangerous when a disease spreads. It said that a crop with very little genetic diversity may not have enough varieties that can survive a new disease or changing weather conditions.For instance, during the Irish potato famine in the 1840s and 1850s, farmers relied heavily on a single type of potato. A fungal disease destroyed much of the crop and caused a major food crisis. More than one million people died during the famine.
The UN said that less diverse diets are linked to malnutrition and diseases such as diabetes and obesity. According to the study, the loss of traditional crops can also affect access to healthy foods and plants used in traditional medicines.
In addition to this, the destruction of forests, wetlands and other natural areas is also reducing biodiversity. Soil damage and the loss of aquatic and land ecosystems are adding to the problem.
The UN and its partners have called for more diverse food production. They have encouraged governments, farmers and consumers to support local, seasonal and varied foods.