News and blogs
Mountain communities rebuild diverse, climate-resilient crops
Climate Change and Mountain Communities Meeting
This week, from 11-18th September, indigenous mountain farmers from 20 communities in 10 countries are meeting in Tajikistan to assess the impacts of climate change and identify responses needed.
Brazil's first community protocol: the Bailique experience
A remote community in the Amazon has agreed Brazil's first community protocol, giving them an equal voice in future discussions about natural resource use.
Consultation: designing a new biocultural heritage indication
How can indigenous people benefit more from their biocultural heritage? A new project wants to hear your feedback on how a labelling scheme for biocultural heritage-based products could work.
Biocultural Heritage: The Foundation of a Sustainable Economy
Article by Claudia Múnera, originally published by The Daly News | March 17th 2014
Research in Nicaragua suggests that recognising the value of biocultural heritage is key to protecting forests from economic pressures.
New film highlights mountain communities' climate workshop
IIED has released a film showcasing an event where mountain communities discussed the impacts of climate change and how to respond using their biocultural heritage
New film highlights mountain communities' climate workshop
China’s Farmer Seed Network
The second annual meeting of China’s “National Farmers’ In-Site Breeding and Seed-Sharing Network” was held on January 11-13 2015, in Guangxi. It brought together farmers from several provinces, leading crop scientists, policy makers and China’s Soybean Industry Association.
'Guardians of Diversity' film in Spanish and Chinese
A film documenting an international meeting of indigenous farmers in Peru's Potato Park to discuss adaptation to climate change is now available in Spanish and Chinese.
SIFOR side event at FAO CGRFA-15
Read more including slides and audio on Geoff Tansey blog
Farmers’ Learning Exchange in the Potato Park
In December 2014, a learning exchange was held in the Potato Park for SIFOR farmers from Kenya and India.
Interviews with SIFOR farmers at UNFCCC COP20
In this short film, smallholder farmers from India, Kenya and Peru explain the challenges they face due to climate change, and how they are responding.
New photofilm profiles biocultural heritage territories
The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) has released a new photofilm profiling indigenous biocultural heritage territories and the role they play in development, conservation and adaptation.
Film documents visit to "Guardians of Diversity" in the Potato Park
A new 15 minute film documents a gathering of indigenous farmers from mountain communities around the world to exchange knowledge and ideas about protecting biodiversity and culture as the basis for adapting to climate change.
Community Well-being in Biocultural Landscapes
There is a growing recognition that living well must go beyond economic and material plenty to encompass social and spiritual well-being. But what do we understand by these wider aspects of well-being?
Stronger plant variety protection may threaten the right to food
Governments in industrial countries regularly put pressure on developing countries to introduce stringent plant variety protection (PVP) regimes and to adhere to the 1991 Act of the UPOV Convention, without duly considering its consequences on the enjoyment of human rights of vulnerable groups such as small-scale farmers and in particular women.
Photo Essay: Indigenous Farmers Gather in the Andes to Plan for Climate Change
These photos document a gathering of indigenous groups from China, Bhutan, and Peru. They met in the spring to discuss climate change and plan a crop exchange program.
First published on August 18, by Adam Kerby in YES! Magazine.
Why are indigenous people sidelined at UN climate talks?
Indigenous people have the solutions to climate change. They should be allowed to speak out at the UN climate talks.
First published on 29 July, by Alejandro Argumedo in Responding to Climate Change (RTCC).
China’s declining crop diversity threatens its food sovereignty
Modern breeding techniques, GM crop imports and commercial seeds mean that many of China’s local varieties are under threat