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Globally Important Agricultural

Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Approach:

Experiences from Latin America

13 February 2018

Yoshihide Endo,

GIAHS Coordinator, Climate, Biodiversity, Land and Water Department, FAO

I. GIAHS Concept and Objectives

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GIAHS Programme1. GIAHS sites have been formed in harsh geographic and environmental conditions and transferred by farmers from generation to generation.2

2. FAO GIAHS programme is to identify and designate

the remarkable agricultural systems with specific features.202222

3. Purpose of the GIAHS programme:

1) To Achieve Dynamic Conservation of the sites, namely:

(i) Conservation, (ii) Adaptation to contemporary conditions and

(iii) Sustainable development of the site:

2) To showcase successful experiences for sustainable agriculture

Action Plan should be

made to achieve

Dynamic Conservation

Policy Makers,

Private Sector,

NGOs,

Academia

Dynamic Conservation

Implementation

of Measures in

Action Plan

Monitoring of its

Impacts

Evaluation

Correction

Maintenance of the

Core Elements

of GIAHS

Adaptation and

Social/Economic

Development

Farmers,

Local Communities

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The Nature of Dynamic Conservation

Traditional Agricultural

System

New and Innovative Elements

Fortified Agricultural System

While Maintaining GIAHS Features

Be a model for sustainable agriculture;

Prove the effectiveness of traditional knowledge

Disseminate their successful experiences of good

agricultural practices, ingenious skills and

technologies to other agricultural area

GIAHS should:

What GIAHS should further achieve

as FAO Programme

Possible Measures for Dynamic Conservation

1. Awareness Enhancement/Information Dissemination of GIAHS

2. Strengthening the Systems and Framework for Action Plan

3. Improved Management of Agricultural Resources

4. Conservation and Sustainable use of Agrobiodiversity

5. Improvement of agricultural production methods

6. Sales Promotion of the Agricultural Products

7. Promotion of tourism/cultural activities/local cuisine

8. Establishment of Finance Supply Mechanisms

9. Enhanced participation of rural residents in decision making

10. Empowerment of women in the rural community

Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (NIHAS)

• Several countries established NIAHS (China,

Japan, Korea);

• Some countries are planning to introduce it;

• NIAHS is useful to draw national attention of

sustainable agriculture, traditional knowledge,

agroecology and agrobiodiversity.

Field

Survey

Country Proposal

GIAHS

Secretariat

Review

Scientific

Advisory

Group

(SAG)

Designation

as GIAHS

More

Information

Declination

GIAHS Designation Process

Evaluation and Decision

Appropriate

Government

Channel

Description of

Five Criteria

Explanation of

the Entire System

(Significance)

Action Plan

II. GIAHS and Climate Change

Definition of GIAHS

Remarkable land use systems and landscapes which are rich in

globally significant biological diversity evolving from the co-

adaptation of a community with its environment and its needs

and aspirations for sustainable development

Elements for Mitigation and Adaptation for

climate change

Many agricultural systems in GIAHS have achieved high level of harmonization with the environment through:- Low level use of chemical inputs and energy consumption- Good soil management practices - Ingenious knowledge to adapt to changing environment

2. Agro-biodiversity

1. Food and livelihood security

3. Local and Traditional Knowledge systems

Time tested technologies and practices

5. Landscapes and Seascapes Features

4.Cultures, value systems and social organisations

Five Criteria for GIAHS Designation

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1) Resilience against extreme weather conditions

2) Risk aversion capacity against crop failures

3) Agricultural practices contributing to mitigation

Institutional systems to overcome issues and challenges

Case 1: Floating Garden in Bangladesh

• Use invasive plants and other organic material to produce the floating bed-garden

• Multi-crop production and use of the degraded floating bed as fertilizer

• Require low energy input

Result of adaptation by the farmers

to the floods and arable land

pressure

Case 2: Agroforestry on the slope of Mt. Kilimanjaro (Tanzania)

• Mix cropping system featured with several layers of vegetation- Endemic timbers, banana, coffee/fruit trees as well as staple crops

Source: Hemp, A., Biodiverse Conserve (2006) 15： “The banana forests of Kilimanjaro Biodiversity and Conservation of the agroforestry system of the ChaggaHome garden

Provide natural sun shades and micro-climate for favourable

conditions to all crop production and soil management

Case 3 : Tank System in Sri Lanka

Schematic representation of a tank

cascade system

(Source: Brigitta Schütt et. al. 2013)Various components of a village

tank (Dharmasena, 2010b)

Human made water reservoirs for agriculture well linked with those located downstream, as a result of a long term struggle for insufficient amount of water availability for rice production

Case 4: Hani Rice Terrace (China)

• Land management with integration of forests, habitations and rice paddy fields = highly adapted water management in dry season threatened area

• Maintenance of locally adapted rice varieties

Source: Dr. JIAO Wenjun

Adaptation to harsh

dry season and

mountainous areas

into highly

productive and

sustainable

production system

Case 5: Oases systems in Maghreb region

• No irrigation system in the desert

• No need to use large machineries : use of wind to manage cavities

• Multi-cropped system complying all the organic requirements

• Adapted way of life to the Saharian desert

• High adaption to arid areas with water and sand management

• Adaptation to desertification issue

Case 6: Agro-Ecological production System

Zhejiang Huzhou Mulberry-dyke & Fish-pond system

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Case 7: Osaki Kodo in Japan:Excellent water management system that can respond to drought, floods and low temperature

Case 8: Agro-biodiversity in Chiloe islands (Chile)

Famers’ long term efforts for risk aversion against fluctuation of climate conditions

• Many valuable endemic varieties of potatoes, garlic

and sheep

Case 9: Andean Agriculture (Peru)

• Unique Andean crops with variety of endemic species are still under cultivation

• Traditional technologies for land and water management can bee seen (terraces, “camellones” ridges, reservoir of rainfall water, channels)

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Case 9: Chinampas in Mexico

Designated GIAHS sites in the World

Egypt(1)Mexico (1)

47 Sites in 19 Countries are designated as GIAHS sites:

Sri Lanka(1)

Spain (2) (9)3

(14)

Achievements of GIAHS Programme Identification of GIAHS sites : 47 Sites in 19 Countries

Linkage to FAO Strategic Framework with clear operational procedures and

independent scientific advise

Increased awareness of importance of GIAHS

GIAHS recognizes farmers’ knowledge and practices related to the

conservation of biodiversity and promotion of sustainable agricultural

production and eco-services for present and future generations

Provided model for agricultural development

GIAHS sites have become a basis for introducing effective measures for

agricultural, social, economic development through branding of local

products, establishing links to agri-tourism and increased investment in

the sites

Alignments to SDGs and FAO’s objectives

GIAHS contributes to SO2:Make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable.

Related Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development Goals

Link to FAO’s Strategic Objectives (SO)

Future Prospects for GIAHS in the Context of Climate Change

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2. Scientific analysis will also facilitate dissemination of successful

experiences to address climate change in the GIAHS sites to

other farming area.

Scientific analysis on the functions and the effectiveness of

traditional knowledge, technologies and practices in the GIAHS

sites to achieve effective adaptation and mitigation outcomes. c

1. Based on this research, we can modify and strengthen the

agricultural technologies and practices during the process of

Dynamic Conservation to better address climate change:

c Importance of Scientific Research

One Option is to supplement traditional knowledge with modern technologies

The ultimate/comprehensive theme for research:

What are the best production method and

combination of resources, based on the traditional

agricultural system in a GIAHS site, to achieve

the multiple goals of increasing production,

addressing climate change as well as in harmony

with the environment.

Based on this research, we can modify and strengthen

the agricultural technologies and practices during the

process of Dynamic Conservation to achieve better

outcomes

Thank you for your attention.

Thank you for your attention.