REPORT + WEBINAR: Indigenous Peoples’ food systems

FAO and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. 2021. Indigenous Peoples’ food systems: Insights on sustainability and resilience from the front line of climate change. Rome. 420 pp.

This publication provides an overview of the common and unique sustainability elements of Indigenous Peoples' food systems, in terms of natural resource management, access to the market, diet diversity, indigenous peoples’ governance systems, and links to traditional knowledge and indigenous languages. While enhancing the learning on Indigenous Peoples food systems, it will raise awareness on the need to enhance the protection of Indigenous Peoples' food systems as a source of livelihood for the 476 million indigenous inhabitants in the world, while contributing to the Zero Hunger Goal.

In addition, the UN Decade of Action on Nutrition (2016-2025) and the UN Food Systems Summit call on the enhancement of sustainable food systems and on the importance of diversifying diets with nutritious foods, while broadening the existing food base and preserving biodiversity. This is a feature characteristic of Indigenous Peoples'food systems since hundreds of years, which can provide answers to the current debate on sustainable food systems and resilience.

This publication is the third book following the previously released Indigenous peoples’ food systems: the many dimensions of culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and health (2009) and Indigenous Peoples’ food systems and well-being: Interventions and policies for healthy communities (2013). These first two volumes highlighted the nutritional aspects of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems. The third volume explores territorial management issues, sustainability, climate change and adaptability. It analyses the driving factors that make Indigenous Peoples’ food systems one of the most sustainable, self-sufficient and resilient on the planet, and the external pressures that are eroding them.

Related:

25 June 2021. The launch raised the awareness on the need to enhance the protection of Indigenous Peoples' food systems as a source of livelihood for the 478 million of indigenous peoples in the world.

The high-level event featured FAO Director General Qu Dongyu; Juan Lucas Restrepo, Director General of the Alliance of Bioversity International and the Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT); Anne Nuorgam, Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues; H.E. Alexandra Bugailiskis, Canadian Ambassador and Permanent Representative, Chair of the Rome Group of Friends of Indigenous Peoples; H.E. Aksel Jakobsen, State Secretary of International Development for the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affair; Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General of FAO; as well as Indigenous Peoples and field experts speaking about the profiles.

Recording of the Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems Insights on Sustainability and Resilience from the Front Line of Climate Change flagship book launch.

High-level remarks

• QU Dongyu, Director-General, FAO
• Juan Lucas Restrepo, Director General, Alliance of Bioversity International and the Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
• Anne Nuorgam, Sámi people, Chair of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues
• H.E. Aksel Jakobsen, State Secretary of International Development, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway
• High level government representative from the United States of America (TBC)
• H.E. Alexandra Bugailiskis, Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the FAO, Canada and Chair of the informal Group of Friends for Indigenous Peoples in Rome
• Beth Bechdol, Deputy Director-General, FAO

Video display

• Chef José Andrés, World Central Kitchen: The importance of Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems in the World

The importance of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems series: From the McGill-FAO collaboration book to the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems

• Professor Harriet V. Kuhnlein, Professor Emerita of Human Nutrition at McGill University and Founding Director, Centre for Indigenous Peoples' Nutrition and Environment (CINE)
• Professor Barbara A. Burlingame, Professor (adjunct) of Public Health Nutrition and Food Systems, Massey University, Former Chief in the FAO Nutrition Division.

Presentation of the publication: ¨Indigenous Peoples’ food systems: Insights on sustainability and resilience from the front line of climate change”

• Yon Fernández-de-Larrinoa, Chief, Indigenous Peoples Unit and Co-Coordinator of the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, FAO
• Edmond Dounias, Research Director, the French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD)

Presentation of the methodology and field work

• Gennifer Meldrum, Food Environment and Consumer Behavior Lever, Alliance of Bioversity International and the Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)
• Anne Brunel, Indigenous Peoples’ food systems specialist, Indigenous Peoples Unit, FAO

Video display

• Food system of the Melanesian people in Baniata, Solomon Islands

Indigenous Peoples and field experts speaking about the profiles

• Facilitator: Phrang Roy, Khasi people, The Indigenous Partnership for Agrobiodiversity and Food Sovereignty (TIP)
• Bhogtoram Mawroh, Khasi people, North East Slow Food and Agrobiodiversity Society (NESFAS) - Khasi food system, India
• Tero Mustonen, Snowchange Cooperative - Inari Sámi food system, Finland
• Aboubacrine Ag Mohamed Mitta & Iyor Ag Hamama, Réseau des Peuples Pasteurs du Sahel RPPS -Kel Tamasheq food system, Mali.
• Liseth Escobar Aucu, Fundación Omacha - Tikuna, Cocama and Yagua food system, Colombia

The way forward: Systemic approaches from Indigenous Peoples

• Tania Eulalia Martinez Cruz, Ayuukjä'äy people, member of the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, Greenwich University (TBC)
• Máximo Torero Cullen, Chief Economist, FAO