Views, Experiences and Best Practices as an example of possible options for

the national implementation of Article 9 of the International Treaty

Note by the Secretary

At its second meeting of the Ad hoc Technical Expert Group on Farmers’ Rights (AHTEG), the

Expert Group agreed on a revised version of the template for collecting information on examples

of national measures, best practices and lessons learned from the realization of Farmers’ Rights

This document presents the updated information on best practices and measures of

implementing Article 9 of the International Treaty submitted by World Agricultural Heritage

Foundation (WAHF) on 26 June 2019.

The submission is presented in the form and language in which it was received.

Measures, Best Practices and Lessons Learned from the Realization of Farmers’ Rights

as set out in Article 9 of the International Treaty

Submitted by WAHF (measure 1)

Basic information

Title of measure/practice: Capacity building of small-scale farming/indigenous communities to

manage and conserve Agricultural Heritage Systems

Date of submission:

Name(s) of country/countries in which the measure/practice is taking place: Tunisia, Philippines

and China

Responsible institution/organization (name, address, website (if applicable), e-mail address,

telephone number(s) and contact person):

- Dr. Parviz Koohafkan, World Agricultural Heritage Foundation, C/o CREA, 2 Via dela

Navicella, Rome, https: www.worldagriculturalheritage.org Phone: +3911368821

- Ms. Nadia Bergamini, Bioversity International, Viale dei tre Denari 472/A - 00054

Fiumicino (RM) https://www.bioversityinternational.org/, Phone: +39 06 61181

- Association pour la Sauvegarde de la Médina de Gafsa (ASM – Gafsa), Université de

Gafsa, Centre Régionale de Recherche de l’Agriculture Oasien (CRRAO),

http://asmgafsa.org.tn.ourssite.com/

- Prof. Teresita Borromeo, University of the Philippines at Los Baños (UPLB), Brenda

Saquing, Municipal Local Government of Kiangan, Ifugao Province

- Prof. Qingwen Min, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources sciences

http://igsnrr.cas.cn/ue/ne/

Type of institution/organization (categories): Non Governmental Organizations, Local

government units, Academic institution, CGIAR

Collaborating/supporting institutions/organizations/actors, if applicable (name, address, website (if

applicable), e-mail address, telephone number(s)) : same as above

Description of the examples

Mandatory information:1

Short summary to be put in the inventory (max. 200 words) including:

Based on the project Underpinning the Resiliency of Agricultural Heritage Systems and Rewarding

Smallholders, Family Farmers and Indigenous Communities, funded by IFAD and implemented by World

Agricultural Heritage Foundation (WAHF) in collaboration with ASM GAFSA (Tunisia), UPLB and

Kiangan Municipality (Philippines) and IGSNRR (China). The project was aimed at building the capacities

of GIAHS custodians to manage and conserve their agricultural heritage systems. The project helps GIAHS

communities in China, Philippines and Tunisia, to also address the governance of the respective GIAHS

sites. In particular, the project invested on assessing, documentation and knowledge sharing and

dissemination between and among the members of the farming communities.

o Implementing entity and partners: please see above.

o Start year: under this project funding – 2016 to date

o Objective(s): The objective of the project is to promote recognition and empowerment

of smallholder, family farmers – notably women, youth and indigenous peoples.

o Summary of core components: The project has promoted capacity development in the

three countries, such as:

- Training of farmers and local custodians to assess, monitor and manage the resiliency

of their respective GIAHS sites, which among others, highlighting agroecological and

biodiverse production as an important means to cope with climate change.

- Documenting of GIAHS knowledge systems’ and best practices in conserving and

managing GIAHS sites particularly the biodiversity and genetic resources associated to

it

- Networking and social media application (AgLegacy app) to share and disseminate

knowledge and other relevant information between and among farmers to strengthen

management and conservation of GIAHS sites

o Key outcomes

- Understanding of the inherent values of traditional agriculture and associated

ecosystem goods and services, in particular the conservation of biodiversity and

genetic resources for food and agriculture and the important role of farmers and

indigenous communities.

- Networking, sharing and exchange of knowledge between and among farmers irough

conventional practice and through social media

1 This mandatory information is required in order for the measure/practice to be included in the Inventory.

o Lessons learned (if applicable)

- The project promotes various capacity building activities for the communities and the

AgLegacy app, serves as among others, an ideal platform for promoting valuation and

protection of traditional knowledge systems related to crop genetic resources between and

among farmers in Gafsa, Tunisia

- Empowering small scale farmers and indigenous communities particularly those engage in

traditional agriculture offers lots of potentials, e.g. to promote in situ, on farm

conservation of crop genetic resources and other wild crops for food and agriculture.It also

offers possibilities, to revitalize the dying wisdom of farming and the cultivation of the

disappearing crops. When farmers understood the values of the traditional crops, and

enable them to turn the challenges into opportunities to improve their livelihoods, not only

the crops are being conserved, but also their children and other youth could opt to remain

in the rural areas.

- The social media AgLegacy also serves as the medium for farmers to participate in

decision-making, and facilitated knowledge sharing and learning.

- Recognition of the role of farmers in conserving and sustaining the crop genetic resources,

and their traditional knowledge systems.

- Recognition of their GIAHS, is a recognition of farmers themselves and gives back the

pride and confidence of farmers.

- Allow farmers to be involved and to take part in decision-making.

- To promote and encourage farmers, it needs to be mainstreamed in the existing policies

and programs at all levels possible, coupled with demonstration activities that farmers

themselves and other stakeholders would see both with tangible and intangible benefits.

Brief history (including starting year), as appropriate: WAHF was established in 2013 after my

retirement in FAO, with the aim to continue my advocacy for the recognition of/and dynamic

conservation of GIAHS.

Core components of the measure/practice (max 200 words):

The project has promoted capacity development in the three countries, such as:

- Training of farmers and local custodians to assess, monitor and manage the resiliency

of their respective GIAHS sites, which among others, highlighting agroecological and

biodiverse production as an important means to cope with climate change.

- Documenting of GIAHS knowledge systems’ and best practices in conserving and

managing GIAHS sites particularly the biodiversity and genetic resources associated to

it

- Networking and social media application (AgLegacy app) to share and disseminate

knowledge and other relevant information between and among farmers to strengthen

management and conservation of GIAHS sites

Description of the context and the history of the measure/practice is taking place (political, legal and

economic framework conditions for the measure/practice) (max 200 words)

The submitted measure has a long narrative, which was a result of over centuries, generations of

farmers, fisher folks and herders have developed complex, diverse and locally adapted agricultural

system2, managed with time-tested, ingenious combinations of techniques and practices. Building

on generations of accumulated knowledge and experiences, these ingenious “agri-cultural” heritage

systems reflect the diversity of cultures and civilizations but also the evolution of humanity. They

have resulted not only in outstanding rural landscapes, maintenance of globally significant

agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems and valuable cultural inheritance but, above all, in

the sustained provision of multiple goods and services, food and livelihood security for millions of

poor and small scale farmers.

Such agricultural and agro-silvo-pastoral systems can be found, in particular, in highly populated

regions or in areas where the population has, for various reasons, had to establish complex and

innovative land-use/management practices, for example, due to geographic isolation, fragile

ecosystems, political marginalization, limited natural resources, and/or extreme climatic

conditions. These systems reflect often rich and sometimes unique agricultural biodiversity, within

and between species but also at ecosystem and landscape level.

The dynamic human management and interactions with nature that allow the maintenance of

biodiversity and essential ecosystem services are characterized by continuous technological and

cultural innovation, transfers between generations and exchange with other farming communities

and ecosystems. The wealth and breadth of accumulated knowledge systems and experience in the

management and use of natural resources is a globally significant resource that needs to be

preserved and allowed to evolve.

The dynamic conservation management of these agricultural heritage systems brings lessons

learned and lighthouses of sustainable agriculture and rural development. In particular, reminding

the important contribution of local and indigenous farming communities in the conservation,

development and management of crop genetic resources for food and agriculture, which is at the

preamble of the International Treaty, is one of the foundation when the GIAHS project was

conceptualized.

This measure supports the implementation of Farmers’ Rights to promote the revitalization of

traditional agriculture by continue conserving and sustaining the conservation of agricultural

biodiversity, and valuing traditional knowledge systems. The project distils key factors, functions,

lessons and practices that can be transferred and scale out to a larger number of agrarian landscapes

and ecosystems facing similar threats and with untapped potential. New institutional practices such

as adding values to crop products, reviving traditional, indigenous crops, and the use of social

media in sharing and disseminating knowledge systems.

To which provision(s) of Article 9 of the International Treaty does this measure relate

Art. 9.1

Art. 9.2a

Art. 9.2b

2 A broad concept of agriculture is applied, including cropping, animal husbandry, forestry, swidden agriculture, fisheries, hunting,

gathering and combinations.

Art. 9.2c

Art. 9.3

Other information, if applicable

Please indicate which category of the Inventory is most relevant for the proposed measure, and which

other categories are also relevant (if any):

No. Category Most

relevant3

Also

relevant4

1 Recognition of local and indigenous communities’, farmers’

contributions to conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, such

as awards and recognition of custodian/guardian farmers

x

2 Financial contributions to support farmers conservation and

sustainable use of PGRFA such as contributions to benefit-sharing

funds

3 Approaches to encourage income-generating activities to support

farmers’ conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA

4 Catalogues, registries and other forms of documentation of PGRFA

and protection of traditional knowledge

x

5 In-situ/on-farm conservation and management of PGRFA, such as

social and cultural measures, community biodiversity management

and conservation sites

x

6 Facilitation of farmers’ access to a diversity of PGRFA through

community seed banks5, seed networks and other measures

improving farmers’ choices of a wider diversity of PGRFA.

7 Participatory approaches to research on PGRFA, including

characterization and evaluation, participatory plant breeding and

variety selection

8 Farmers’ participation in decision-making at local, national and

sub-regional, regional and international levels

9 Training, capacity development and public awareness creation x

10 Legal measures for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights, such as

legislative measures related to PGRFA.

11 Other measures / practices

3 Please select only one category that is most relevant, under which the measure will be listed.

4 Please select one or several categories that may also be relevant (if applicable).

5 Including seed houses.

In case you selected ‘other measures’, would you like to suggest a description of this measure, e.g. as

a possible new category? ____________________________________________________________

Objective(s)

Target group(s) and numbers of involved and affected farmers6 : Farming communities and

indigenous peoples in the Philippines; minority groups in China;

Location(s) and geographical outreach: Gafsa, Tunisa; Ifugao Province, Philippines; Qingtian County

plus several GIAHS sites in China

Resources used for implementation of the measure/practice: External funding from bilateral

institutions

How has the measure/practice affected the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources

for food and agriculture?

- By jointly assessing and documenting the factors and functionalities of socio ecological and

resiliencies of traditional agriculture, and the holistic approach to biodiverse crop production

along their own customary management systems

- Awareness of farmers about the importance of their traditional knowledge and the diversity of

crops which makes them more resilient to cope with adverse climatic conditions and/or pest

and diseases infestation

- Sharing, exchange of knowledge, and participation to decision-making that affects the integrity

and sustainability of their traditional agriculture which directly impacting conservation and

development crop genetic resources of social, health and economic importance

- Farmers’ socially binding together and sharing information about their crops and cultivation

management and other farm issues through the AgLegacy social media, helping them to use

and benefit from the new gadgets and communication technology tools

Please describe the achievements of the measure/ practice so far (including quantification) (max 200

words)

Other national level instruments that are linked to the measure/practice

- Compliance to other international agreements

Are you aware of any other international agreements or programs that are relevant for this

measure/practice?

- Nagoya Protocol

- FAO GIAHS Programme is now covering 57 sites in over 25 countries

(http://www.fao.org/giahs/giahsaroundtheworld/designated-sites/en/)

Other issues you wish to address, that have not yet been covered, to describe the measure/practice

Lessons learned

6 Any classification, e.g. of the types of farmer addressed, may be country-specific.

Describe lessons learned which may be relevant for others who wish to do the same or similar

measures/practices (max 250 words).

What challenges encountered along the way (if applicable) (max 200 words)

What would you consider conditions for success, if others should seek to carry out such a measure

or organize such an activity? (max 100 words)

- The project promotes various capacity building activities for the communities and the AgLegacy

app, serves as among others, an ideal platform for promoting valuation and protection of

traditional knowledge systems related to crop genetic resources

- Empowering small scale farmers and indigenous communities particularly those engage in

traditional agriculture offers lots of potentials to promote in situ, on farm conservation of crop

genetic resources and other wild crops for food and agriculture.It also offers possibilities, to

revitalize the dying wisdom of farming and cultivation of the disappearing crops, when farmers

understood the values of the crops, and enable them to turn the challenges into opportunities to

improve their livelihoods, not only the crops are being conserved, but also their children and

other youth could opt to remain in the rural areas.

- The social media AgLegacy also serves as the medium for farmers to participate in decision-

making, and facilitated knowledge sharing and learning.

- Recognition of the role of farmers in conserving and sustaining the crop genetic resources, and

their traditional knowledge systems.

- Recognition of their GIAHS, is a recognition of farmers themselves and gives back the pride and

confidence of farmers.

- Allow farmers to be involved and to take part in decision-making.

- To promote and encourage farmers, it needs to be mainstreamed in the existing policies and

programs at all levels possible, coupled with demonstration activities that farmers themselves and

other stakeholders would see both with tangible and intangible benefits.

Further information

Link(s) to further information about the measure/practice

See Tunisia, Philippines and China country reports: https://www.bioversityinternational.org/

Measures, Best Practices and Lessons Learned from the Realization of Farmers’ Rights

as set out in Article 9 of the International Treaty

Submitted by WAHF (measure 2)

Basic information

Title of measure/practice : Recognition of farming communities through Globally Important

Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)

Date of submission:

Name(s) of country/countries in which the measure/practice is taking place: Islamic Republic of Iran

Responsible institution/organization (name, address, website (if applicable), e-mail address, telephone

number(s) and contact person)

Research Department with the Agricultural Planning, Economic and Rural development Research,

Ministry of Agriculture

Contact person: Ali Kiani Rad (Ph.D.)

Agricultural Planning, Economic and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI), Ministry of

Agriculture Jahad, No.5, Roudsar St., South Shahid Azodi (Aban) Ave., Karimkhan-e-Zand Blvd.,

TEHRAN-Islamic Republic of IRAN

E-mail: a.kianirad@agri-peri.ac.ir, akianirad@gmail.com

Website: www.agri-peri.ac.ir

Telephone number: +98-21-88803676

Type of institution/organization (categories): Government

Collaborating/supporting institutions/organizations/actors, if applicable (name, address, website (if

applicable), e-mail address, telephone number(s))

Farming communities, World Agricultural Heritage Foundation (WAHF), country and province

government units

Description of the examples

Mandatory information:1

Short summary to be put in the inventory (max. 200 words) including:

o Implementing entity and partners: see above

o Start year: Since 2005 (research study of traditional systems in the Islamic Republic of Iran)

1 This mandatory information is required in order for the measure/practice to be included in the Inventory.

o Objective(s): To safeguard and dynamically conserved agricultural heritage systems and its

goods and services, and to promotion recognition of farming communities and indigenous

peoples who are the custodians of this heritage agriculture.

o Summary of core components: Recognition of “farmers and indigenous communities”

from ancient times to present day, and to recognize their important contribution to

conservation and development of crop and animal genetic resources, preservation of

cultural diversity, not only just recognition but to leverage support for these heritage

agriculture to continue to evolve so to provide the goods and services. o Key outcomes:

In Iran, to date, FAO recognized three GIAHS Sites: (i) Pomegranate Qanat irrigated

Agricultural Heritage System; (ii) Malayer Grape Production Agricultural Heritage System and

(iii) Saffron Qanat-based Agricultural Heritage System.

o Lessons learned (if applicable)

Summary to be put in the Inventory

The Agricultural Planning, Economic and Rural Development Research Institute (APERDRI), a public

research institute under the Ministry of Agriculture, together with country and province government units,

farming communities and the World Agricultural Heritage Foundation (WAHF), have engaged in

identifying Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in Iran. In many countries,

specific agricultural systems and landscapes have been created, shaped and maintained by generations of

farmers and herders, based on diverse natural resources, species and their interactions and using locally

adapted, distinctive and often ingenious combinations of management practices and techniques. These

ingenious agricultural systems have resulted not only in outstanding aesthetic beauty, maintenance of

globally significant agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems, ingenious adaptations and valuable

cultural inheritance but, above all, in the sustained provision of multiple goods and services, food and

livelihood security and a way of life . The overall goal of GIAHS is to is to mobilize global recognition

and national support for this important contribution of farmers and indigenous communities, from ancient

times to present day, so that they can continue to provide the global, national and local benefits derived

through these systems. Iran is a country with a long history of farming; it has been argued that dryland

farming first evolved in the western part of the country about 10,000 years ago, simultaneously with the

domestication of goats and sheep. After identifying agricultural system that could qualify as GIAHS,

Iran’s Ministry of Agriculture submitted to FAO a preliminary list of such systems, of which three

systems, to date, has been recognized as GIAHS sites: (i) Saffron Qanat-based Agricultural Heritage

System, (ii) Pomegranate Qanat irrigated Agricultural Heritage System; and (iii) Malayer Grape

Production Agricultural Heritage System. This recognition of GIAHS sites represents the great

achievements of /and agricultural knowledge systems of the farming communities.

Brief history (including starting year), as appropriate:

The GIAHS concept was formulated in 2002, in FAO, and initially started as a project with funding

from the Global Environment Facility, IFAD, National Governments of pilot countries, Germany and

other organizations. After 10 years of piloting designation and dynamic conservation, due to positive

results an doutcomes, it gained support from many countries and was adopted as an FAO Programme

in 2015. Then, the designation of sites has continued.

Core components of the measure/practice (max 200 words)

The components of this measure includes studying and documenting the traditional yet evolving

agricultural practices. It involves assessing the characteristics of the farming system based on five

general criteria, such as their global (and local, national) importance to: (1) food and livelihood

security; (2) agricultural biodiversity of global significance; (3) local and traditional knowledge

systems; (4) cultures, value systems and social organization; and (5) remarkable landscapes features.

After documentation and assessment, if passes through this criteria, the recognition of the farming

system as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems under the FAO. And this recognition is

dedicated to the farmers nurturing conservation of agricultural biodiversity of local and global

importance to food security; preservation of traditional knowledge and cultural diversity.

Description of the context and the history of the measure/practice is taking place (political, legal and

economic framework conditions for the measure/practice) (max 200 words)

In many countries specific agricultural systems and landscapes have been created, shaped and maintained

by generations of farmers and herders based on diverse natural resources, species and their interactions and

using locally adapted, distinctive and often ingenious combinations of management practices and

techniques. Building on dynamic local knowledge systems and experience, these ingenious agricultural

systems reflect the evolution of humanity, the diversity of its knowledge, and its profound harmony with

nature. They have resulted not only in outstanding aesthetic beauty, maintenance of globally significant

agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems, ingenious adaptations and valuable cultural inheritance but,

above all, in the sustained provision of multiple goods and services, food and livelihood security and a way

of life.

The overall goal of the Globally Important Ingenious Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) initiative2 is

to promote recognition and safeguard traditional agriculture and their associated landscapes, agricultural

biodiversity and knowledge systems, through mobilizing global recognition and national support for such

systems so that the global, national and local benefits derived through these systems will continue.

During the process of the GIAHS concept development, around 200 cases of potential traditional

agricultural heritage systems were documented, particularly those in countries with long history of

agriculture, such as Iran, Mexico, Peru, Chile, India, Philippines, China, Algeria, Tunisia, and others,

including the ones that are listed in UNESCO List of Cultural and Natural Heritage. It has been argued that

dryland farming first evolved in the western part of the country about 10 000 years ago, simultaneously

with the domestication of animals (goats and sheep). Farmers have managed their traditional

agroecosystems for centuries by focusing on sustaining nature and environment. Before, farmers relied on

nature’s bounty and locally available natural resources to maintain soil fertility and to combat pests and

diseases. The farming systems evolved common principles and processes of sustainability, such as holistic

management and use of natural resources, optimize use of local resources with no or low external inputs,

consideration of genetic and physical diversity, protection and conservation of soil, risk minimization and

local site-specific techniques. Traditional agriculture formed the foundation of farming and resulted in a

2 The origin of GIAHS concept was developed and spearheaded by Parviz Koohafkan, during his career in FAO until his

retirement. The GIAHS initiative was made successful through collaboration of interested countries and through the funding from

the multilateral institutions (Global Environment Facility, IFAD, bilateral and unilateral institutions). When he retired in 2012,

many GIAHS sites had been already designated, due to GIAHS project success and impacts at local at national levels, the FAO

adopted the GIAHS initiative as an FAO Regular Programme during the FAO Conference in June 2015.

tremendous accumulation of indigenous knowledge in farming practices and food production, based on

integrated crop production and livestock grazing, and ingeniously farming the most difficult and

disadvantage ecological environment.

Against this backdraft, the idea of recognizing the work of “farmers and indigenous communities” from

ancient times to present day, and to recognize this important contribution, not only just recognition but to

leverage support for these heritage to continue evolve and provide the goods and services.

To which provision(s) of Article 9 of the International Treaty does this measure relate

Art. 9.1

Art. 9.2a

Art. 9.2b

Art. 9.2c

Art. 9.3

Other information, if applicable

Please indicate which category of the Inventory is most relevant for the proposed measure, and which

other categories are also relevant (if any):

No. Category Most

relevant3

Also

relevant4

1 Recognition of local and indigenous communities’, farmers’

contributions to conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, such

as awards and recognition of custodian/guardian farmers

x

2 Financial contributions to support farmers conservation and

sustainable use of PGRFA such as contributions to benefit-sharing

funds

3 Approaches to encourage income-generating activities to support

farmers’ conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA

x

4 Catalogues, registries and other forms of documentation of PGRFA

and protection of traditional knowledge

5 In-situ/on-farm conservation and management of PGRFA, such as

social and cultural measures, community biodiversity management

and conservation sites

x

3 Please select only one category that is most relevant, under which the measure will be listed.

4 Please select one or several categories that may also be relevant (if applicable).

6 Facilitation of farmers’ access to a diversity of PGRFA through

community seed banks5, seed networks and other measures

improving farmers’ choices of a wider diversity of PGRFA.

7 Participatory approaches to research on PGRFA, including

characterization and evaluation, participatory plant breeding and

variety selection

8 Farmers’ participation in decision-making at local, national and

sub-regional, regional and international levels

9 Training, capacity development and public awareness creation x

10 Legal measures for the implementation of Farmers’ Rights, such as

legislative measures related to PGRFA.

11 Other measures / practices

In case you selected ‘other measures’, would you like to suggest a description of this measure, e.g. as

a possible new category? ____________________________________________________________

Objective(s): see above

Target group(s) and numbers of involved and affected farmers6

Farming and indigenous communities with heritage agriculture

Location(s) and geographical outreach

National, and currently 3 designated GIAHS sites in 3 provinces

1. Pomegranate Qanat irrigated Agricultural Heritage System in Kashan Township, Isfahan

Province

2. Saffron Qanat-based Agricultural Heritage System in Khorasan Razavi province and Grape

3. Production Agricultural Heritage System in Jowsan Valley, Hamedan Province.

Resources used for implementation of the measure/practice: National

How has the measure/practice affected the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources

for food and agriculture?

- Farming communities – as guardians of their own agricultural heritage are valuing the conservation

and sustainable use of crops and genetic resources.

- The protection of traditional knowledge related to traditional agriculture and food productions

becomes more apparent.

Please describe the achievements of the measure/ practice so far (including quantification) (max 200

words)

Other national level instruments that are linked to the measure/practice:

National Seed Policy Document

5 Including seed houses.

6 Any classification, e.g. of the types of farmer addressed, may be country-specific.

Plant Variety Protection Act, 2003

Intangible Heritage

Are you aware of any other international agreements or programs that are relevant for this

measure/practice?

Nagoya Protocol

UNESCO Convention

Other issues you wish to address, that have not yet been covered, to describe the measure/practice

Lessons learned

Describe lessons learned which may be relevant for others who wish to do the same or similar

measures/practices (max 250 words).

What challenges encountered along the way (if applicable) (max 200 words)

What would you consider conditions for success, if others should seek to carry out such a measure

or organize such an activity? (max 100 words)

– Iran has a long history of traditional ecological agriculture, stretching back 10 000 years. The

recognition of many of these ancient agriculture systems and its farming communities surely benefit

the global, national and local farming communities, in particular, it demonstrated the realization of

Article 9 of the International Treaty, recognizing the role of farmers in conserving, developing and

managing crop genetic resources and associated biodiversity and traditional knowledge systems

– Recognition of agricultural heritage sites promotes the implementation of the Treaty objectives:

recognition of the important role farmers and indigenous communities play in the conservation,

development and management of crop genetic resources for food and agriculture; protection of

traditional knowledge systems; and empowering farmers and promotes their participation to

decision-making.

– Designation processes of GIAHS by FAO and the lack or limited technical support from the

current GIAHS Secretariat, and the lack of coordination and harmonization of implementation of

FAO programmes that are operating independently – posing challenge to achieve full results.

Further information

Link(s) to further information about the measure/practice

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnership/?p=2309 initiative

GEF project data base:https://www.thegef.org/project/cbpf-conservation-and-adaptive-management-

globally-important-agricultural-heritage-systems

FAO GIAHS website: http://www.fao.org/giahs/giahsaroundtheworld/designated-sites/en/

WAHF website: http://www.worldagriculturalheritage.org/AgLegacy