Hesiquio Benitez Diaz, CONABIO, interview: Rio Conventions Pavilion, CBD COP11, 19/10/2012 – Hesiquio Benitez Diaz, Director of Liaison and International Affairs at Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) discusses the challenge of balancing the protection of biodiversity and the country’s development.

With many species endemic to Mexico, their loss in the country would also represent a global extinction.

Diaz believes that while the country has more work to do to protect its biodiversity, there are also opportunities for it to benefit from its natural capital and these must be highlighted too.

At the same time the country must also continue to increase its agricultural output, boost its food security while maintaining and protecting Mexico’s native crop species.