Resources

This article explains the traditional governance system of the Tharaka people in Kenya, which includes bees in decision-making, and forms the basis for the Tharaka Biocultural Territory declaration

This report examines global and national environmental policies and laws that can help Indigenous communities seeking to conserve their territories and biocultural heritage.

Este informe analiza diversas políticas y leyes medioambientales, tanto a nivel mundial como nacional, que pueden ayudar a las comunidades indígenas que desean conservar sus territorios y su patrimonio biocultural.

A six-day event learning exchange and walking workshop in Cusco Peru saw over 50 Indigenous representatives from Peru, Bolivia, China and Kenya learn about two successful biocultural heritage territories. This short film provides highlights of the event and resulting declaration for nature and climate policymakers.

This short film showcases work to establish a self-governed biocultural heritage territory to protect sacred Kaya forests and surrounding landscapes in Rabai, coastal Kenya. It shows the importance of strengthening traditional knowledge, agrobiodiversity and customary institutions to enhance conservation and livelihoods.

This declaration calls for action to implement the International Treaty of Plant Genetic Resources’ provisions on Farmers’ Rights and strengthen support for Indigenous territories that protect critical centres of origin and ecosystems in the Andes.

Esta declaración exige la adopción de medidas para aplicar las disposiciones del Tratado Internacional sobre los Recursos Fitogenéticos relativas a los derechos de los agricultores y reforzar el apoyo a los territorios indígenas que protegen centros de origen y ecosistemas fundamentales en los Andes.

This journal article explores how the wellbeing concepts, worldviews, values, customary laws and traditional livelihoods of different Indigenous Peoples and local communities contribute to nature conservation and equity and how they are recognised by different community actors.

A report from a learning exchange and community dialogue that brought together ten Rabai villages that have decided to establish a collectively governed biocultural heritage territory to conserve their Kaya forest landscapes and unique culture.

The concept of ‘biocultural heritage’ was first proposed by the Indigenous NGO ANDES (Peru) and Quechua communities in the Potato Park in 2005. To mark this 20th anniversary, and share the lessons and tools from this work, IIED has worked with ANDES and partners to update this website.

This is a first draft that will be further refined with community members of the Biocultural Heritage Initiative, notably the International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples (INMIP).

IIED and Asociacion ANDES project (began 2024) supporting Indigenous communities in the Southern Peruvian Andes to defend their rights to land by leveraging biocultural heritage territories.

Workshop report on a new project to scale up the Potato Park model in indigenous communities that wish to protect their biocultural wealth and pursue alternatives to extractive operations in the Peruvian Andes.

Key discussions and reflections from the sixth global learning exchange of the International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples.

At a learning exchange and community dialogue organised by Rabai community and IIED on 24-25 March 2025, 10 villages agreed to revive clan meetings and hold monthly dialogues to restore traditional knowledge and culture relating to Kaya forest conservation, agrobiodiversity and more.

Insights from a series of internal talks by Indigenous and grassroots partners, peer organisations and majority-world thinkers on how IIED can decolonise its research programmes and become anti-racist.

Summary for Policymakers of the Thematic Assessment Report

Este cortometraje destaca los testimonios de base recogidos en el Parque de la Patata y el Parque de Trueque de Chalakuy, en Cusco (Perú), y muestra cómo los territorios bioculturales indígenas refuerzan la soberanía alimentaria, la biodiversidad y la resiliencia comunitaria. En él se reclama la adopción de políticas más sólidas, la protección de los derechos y la asignación de recursos para apoyar la gestión de estos territorios y de las Zonas de Agrobiodiversidad liderada por los pueblos indígenas.

As world leaders prepare to gather for major summits on biodiversity and climate change – COP16 in Colombia and COP29 in Azerbaijan – Indigenous Peoples and local communities are calling for greater support for their tried and tested solutions.

Indigenous Peoples and local communities are calling for greater support for their tried and tested solutions

Este documento informativo muestra cómo los territorios bioculturales indígenas de Cusco (Perú) están reforzando la soberanía alimentaria, la biodiversidad y la resiliencia comunitaria. A partir de los estudios de caso del «Potato Park» y del «Chalakuy Barter Park», aboga por políticas más sólidas y mayores recursos para proteger los derechos de los pueblos indígenas y apoyar la gestión eficaz de los territorios bioculturales y las zonas de agrobiodiversidad.

This briefing paper shows how Indigenous biocultural territories in Cusco, Peru are strengthening food sovereignty, biodiversity and community resilience. Drawing on Potato Park and Chalakuy Barter Park case studies, it calls for stronger policies and resources to protect Indigenous Peoples’ rights and support effective management of biocultural territories and Agrobiodiversity Zones.

Workshop report summarises the key discussions and reflections

Leaders at COP29 urged to ‘significantly’ increase funding given directly to groups conserving precious resources and ecosystems

Report from learning exchange of the International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples

PDF of an informal summary of the key elements of the treaty for Indigenous Peoples and local communities

Report presents five policy recommendations from the Sino-German Agrobiodiversity Network

Mountains crucial to halting nature loss and addressing climate change

IIED, INMIP, ANDES (Peru) and partners organised side events at two global policy meetings on traditional knowledge and genetic resources

IIED insight on supporting Indigenous Peoples and local communities to strengthen and protect their territories and cultures