Objective

  • To learn from Indigenous Peoples and local communities about the role of traditional knowledge in sustaining agrobiodiversity-rich farming and agroforestry systems; and how traditional knowledge exchange and transmission can be strengthened.  
  • Indigenous Peoples and local communities have domesticated, improved and conserved agrobiodiversity for millennia based on their traditional knowledge and cultural and spiritual values

This session will explore the vital role of traditional knowledge in maintaining and improving agrobiodiversity and agroforestry systems; and the practices, values and principles that underpin vibrant traditional knowledge systems, including exchange and transmission. It will also explore the threats and drivers of change facing traditional knowledge and how traditional knowledge for agrobiodiversity can be revitalized, including the role of biocultural heritage, markets and enabling policies.

“To bring people together to share innovative traditional and scientific knowledge on how FFPOs and IPLC organizations can advance agroecological practices, agrobiodiverse planting materials and climate smart business and finance models that enrich nature and nutrition”

Frequently Asked Questions

Agrobiodiversity (agricultural biodiversity) is ‘the subset of biodiversity found within agroecosystems (agricultural ecosystems), including the variety and variability of animals, plants, micro-organisms and wild foods at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels, which are necessary to sustain key functions of those agroecosystem’. It is a key component of agroecology and has multiple benefits including: food security and livelihood resilience, nutritional and health benefits, the provision of biomass energy and household materials, preservation of biocultural heritage, and the maintenance of ecosystem services including climate change mitigation.

Agroecology is the ‘the application of ecological approaches to agriculture’. It aims to employ management practices that use nature’s own cost-efficient processes to benefit production, ecological integrity of farms, and climate change adaptation. The practices are embedded in traditional knowledge and ever evolving local innovations that use renewable resources (nutrients, biomass, water) efficiently, thus decreasing the need for external resources such as agrochemicals.  In addition, agroecology promotes diversification of production and products, minimizing harm to nature and improving nature’s functionality in the benefit of production.

It is from 9-12 April, 2024

The conference is happening at Hotel Grande, Pokhara.

ORGANIZERS AND PARTNERS

The Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) is a partnership between FAO, IIED, IUCN, and AgriCord, strengthening Forest and Farm Producer Organizations for improved livelihoods and climate-resilient landscape