Recognising that climate and nutrition are generally not well connected and that biodiversity loss is deeply connected to the causes and consequences of the climate crisis, this report from Initiative on Climate Action and Nutrition (I-CAN) takes the baseline assessment a step further to analyse nutrition-biodiversity linkages in National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs).

Key findings of the report illustrate that:

• The majority of NBSAPs need to integrate biodiversity-nutrition linkages: 
  • 62% of NBSAPs make no intentional connections between biodiversity and nutrition
  • Only 4% of NBSAPs have concrete plans to mobilise resources and take action to address nutrition
• Countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and East Asia and the Pacific are more likely to integrate nutrition-biodiversity linkages, but most regions on average have no integration 
• Low-income economies had the highest proportion of strong integration with biodiversity and nutrition (8%) compared to 0% of high-income countries – meaning they are more likely to better integration nutrition- biodiversity linkages relative to other income groups; integration of nutrition-biodiversity linkages. Each NBSAP is categorised by its level of integration of biodiversity and nutrition, ranging from no integration (Level 1) to strong integration (Level 4). 
• NBSAPs that were published more recently are more likely to better integrate nutrition- biodiversity linkages. The set of NBSAPs that were updated within the last five years (2018-2024) have a smaller proportion of no integration – Level 1 NBSAPs (49%) – and a higher proportion of strong integration – Level 4 NBSAPs (5%);
• The majority of NBSAPs mention food security (74%), indigenous knowledge (73%), and genetic diversity of crops (65%) yet did not link these concepts to nutrition. This presents a foundation and opportunity for future NBSAPs to develop these linkages;
• Indigenous knowledge is frequently included in NBSAPs in relation to conserving and restoring biodiversity and supporting agricultural production.

This report also presents two case studies of NBSAPs from Malawi and Brazil. The two case studies serve as exemplars of how to integrate nutrition-biodiversity linkages in NBSAPs. 

Based on the analysis and case studies, the report concludes with the following recommendations for integrating nutrition in NBSAPs: 

• Build on existing themes within the NBSAPs that are related to nutrition to improve the analysis of nutrition-biodiversity linkages (e.g., where traditional knowledge is mentioned, this can be linked to the symbiotic relationship with nutrition); 
• Increase the awareness of biodiversity- nutrition linkages with stakeholders (e.g., ministries, civil society organisations, private sector, women and youth groups, local communities, and Indigenous Peoples) that are involved (or should be consulted) in the NBSAP process; 
• Improve capacity-building for biodiversity- nutrition integration within the monitoring and evaluation framework of NBSAPs;
• Develop multi-sectoral, participatory forums for the NBSAP development and implementation process, and emphasise the need for nutrition-biodiversity linkages within these forums;
• Prioritise the involvement of women, youth, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities within the NBSAP development process to integrate their experience with agriculture and nutrition.