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Epidemics are the result of an imbalance in nature?

09.04.2020

Agroforestry makes it possible to preserve biodiversity and combat climate change, but it is not only a means of …

Emmanuel Torquebiau, a researcher in agroforestry at CIRAD, spoke on 29 March in an article in the newspaper Le Monde: « Trees make it possible to relocate nature and life everywhere ».

Climate change and industrial agricultural practices favour diseases that affect plants. In addition, global deforestation is causing soil degradation and the collapse of biodiversity. Reintroducing trees back into the agricultural environment helps to restore biodiversity and increase the resilience of agriculture.

The disappearance of the wild world facilitates epidemics that affect humanity. According to researchers, many of the infectious diseases originate in wild animals and are then transmitted to humans through domestic animals. The reduction and disruption of wilderness habitat leads to an increase in the links with the domestic world and thus the risk of infection. Concerning COVID-19, discussions and research on the intermediate host are still ongoing, Serge Morand believes that the origin of the epidemic is in bats.

See the article published in Le Monde

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