Agriculture in Harmony with Nature: How SAN Champions Biodiversity for a Sustainable Future

A Day to Reflect and Act

On May 22nd, the world marks the International Day for Biological Diversity, a UN-designated observance aimed at raising awareness and catalyzing action for biodiversity conservation. This year’s theme—“Be Part of the Plan: Harmony with Nature and Sustainable Development”—echoes the ethos that drives the Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN): a vision where agriculture becomes a force to heal the planet while supporting livelihoods and securing food systems.

At SAN, we believe biodiversity is not just a conservation issue—it is a cornerstone of resilient, regenerative agriculture. As we face an escalating polycrisis of climate change, land degradation, and ecosystem collapse, biodiversity emerges as both a shield and a solution.

Trumpet lichen—a small yet vital ally in farm biodiversity—thrives where ecosystems are healthy. Its presence signals a harmonious balance between agriculture and nature, echoing SAN’s mission to regenerate landscapes through sustainable farming.

Why Biodiversity Matters in Agriculture

Biodiversity underpins essential ecosystem services—pollination, nutrient cycling, pest control, and soil fertility—that make agriculture possible. Yet, conventional agricultural models have too often undermined these very systems, fragmenting landscapes and promoting monocultures. The loss is staggering: over one million species are at risk of extinction, and food systems are a major driver.

SAN works at the nexus of agriculture and ecology, aiming to reverse these trends by embedding biodiversity into the fabric of agricultural production. Our strategy aligns closely with the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, especially Target 10, which calls for sustainable management of agriculture to maintain ecosystem services and reduce pollution.

SAN’s Biodiversity Strategy: Nature-Based and Farmer-Centered

SAN’s 2025–2030 Strategic Plan sets a bold direction: to elevate SAN as a Global Impact Network that promotes regenerative, resilient, and equitable agriculture. Central to this strategy is our goal to enhance biodiversity and ecosystem services, not as afterthoughts but as critical assets for sustainable development.

Through our nature-based solutions and initiatives, SAN empowers farmers to transform their farms into local biodiversity hotspots. This initiative supports the integration of flowering plants, hedgerows, agroforestry systems, and other ecological infrastructure that attract pollinators and beneficial species. The result? Improved productivity, reduced input costs, and richer, more resilient agroecosystems.

Through trainings with farmers, SAN seeks to promote best practices in incorporating nature-based solutions that harness the potential of agroecological biodiversity for crop performance, rather than relying on synthetic inputs that may disrupt ecological balance in farms.

From Global Vision to Local Impact

Our network of 34 member organizations operates in over 120 countries, implementing localized biodiversity solutions informed by scientific evidence and community knowledge. For instance, in Colombia, our work with coffee farmers integrates native shade trees and diverse groundcover, supporting bird and insect populations while boosting coffee quality. In India, SAN partners help spice producers reduce pesticide use by reintroducing predator insects and companion planting.

By 2030, we aim to restore or protect 20,000 hectares of farmland through biodiversity actions, and enable 1,500 farmers to benefit from nature-based solutions, with special focus on indigenous and women-led communities.

In Malaysia, SAN has partnered with Ferrero to pioneer nature-based solutions that restore ecological balance in oil palm production. Working alongside local partners—CABI, UPM, and Wild Asia—SAN identified and propagated native plant species that support a rich diversity of beneficial insects such as parasitoid wasps and assassin bugs, which are natural enemies of major oil palm pests. This approach not only reduced the need for synthetic pesticides but also improved pest control, yielding economic benefits for farmers through lower input costs and reduced crop losses.

By enhancing edge habitats and understory vegetation, the project successfully demonstrated that ecological restoration and agricultural productivity can go hand in hand. In 2024, these innovations scaled from smallholder plots to plantation-level adoption, establishing a replicable model for biodiversity-positive palm oil production.

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Check out the resources we've created on ecological insect networks for pest control and the benefits of integrated pest management for Malaysian oil palm farms

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Collaboration as a Path to Harmony

Our impact stems not only from what we do but how we do it. SAN’s model thrives on radical collaboration—across sectors, ecosystems, and geographies. We bring together NGOs, research institutions, companies, and farmers in a Global Impact Network where knowledge, innovation, and equity flow in all directions.

Our programmatic work with landscape approaches and supporting corporate ESG goals further this ethos, offering businesses and governments customized pathways to meet biodiversity and climate commitments while uplifting agricultural communities.

From lush forests threatened by wildfires or deforestation to eroded agricultural soils, ecosystem restoration is now more urgent than ever. Promoting sustainable farming landscapes is crucial for improving ecosystems and restoring degraded lands. In this AgroTalk, Hernán Zaldivar, Preferred by Nature's specialist on ecosystem restoration, shares lessons from his more than 15 years of experience in forest management, agribusiness, and restoration.

A Call to Action: Be Part of the Plan

This International Day for Biological Diversity, we join the UN Environment Programme’s call: Be Part of the Plan. At SAN, we invite institutional donors, corporate leaders, farmers, and everyday citizens to stand with us.

Support regenerative agriculture. Invest in nature-based solutions. Advocate for food systems that nourish both people and planet.

Together, we can make biodiversity not just a global goal—but a living, thriving reality on every farm, in every field, and within every food system.