Agricultural biodiversity is a precious legacy which we have a moral duty to pass on intact to future generations. As farming systems modernise, these crucial resources risk being lost, unless effective conservation measures are put in place and sufficient recognition is given to the role of the farmer in food security and agricultural development. This publication contains a number of black and white photographs by Pablo Balbontân Arenas, which give an insight into the life and customs of small farmers who foster, maintain and use genetic diversity in traditional agricultural systems, deploying local techniques and knowledge accumulated over many centuries, focusing on four crops: wheat, rice, maize and potato. The accompanying text is written in English, Spanish and Italian.

Although El Salvador has recorded impressive overall economic growth in the 1990s, during this period, agricultural growth has lagged considerably below the rest of the economy, which raises concerns about the long-run capacity of the sector to raise incomes and employment in rural areas and contribute to overall growth. The main objectives of this sector review are twofold: to develop a strategy to revitalize the agricultural sector and realize its full potential for efficient and sustainable growth by enhancing competitiveness; and to present the main findings of the analysis of rural poverty and develop its implications for the design of a strategy for poverty alleviation.