The United Nations General Assembly has proclaimed December 29 as the International Day for Biological Diversity.

``Biodiversity constitutes genes, species and ecosystems, corresponding to three fundamental and hierarchically-related levels of biological organisation...Loss of biodiversity in the form of crop varieties and livestock breeds is near zero significance in terms of overall global diversity. "But, genetic erosion in these populations is, particularly, of human concern in so far as it has the implications for food supply and the sustainability of locally adapted agricultural practises,'' Oza said.

He added that conservation of biological diversity was important considering ``the present and potential use of elements of biodiversity as biological resources, for the biosphere's maintenance, our only life-support system, in a state supportive of human life, and for the maintenance of biological diversity, in particular of all living species''.