Briefing on Agricultural Heritage Systems Initiatives
Organised by the F.A.O.

Mr. David Boerma, representative of the GIAHS program, (Globally Important Ingenious Agricultural Heritage Systems) , presented the subject matter. GIAHS defines itself as the following: "remarkable systems of using lands, presenting a large biological diversity in constant rhythmic evolution through the ingenious and dynamic adaptations operated by the communities to their environment and their needs and expectations of sustainable development (FAO)." An example would be the land system in the Andes (cultivation of potatoes and of maize) or sub-aquatic irrigation in the zones where the water is low (among others in Afghanistan).

The project hopes to work on three levels:
1. At the global level, it hopes to establish a global recognition of rich agricultural systems. These systems would be placed in a new category of World Heritage and the creation of international networks and institutional mechanisms could ensure support for a long term.
2. At the national level, the project hopes to establish a dialogue to develop a new political jurisdiction and ameliorate the standard of living for residents.
3. At the local level, it will select types of systems with the communities (participative management) and to realize conservation practices based on an integration of scientific and local knowledge.

One should keep in mind that the most important thing to do is to put emphasis on the active participation of indigenous people in regards to the development of the projects. In other words, human capital and traditional knowledge should be highly valued and the projects should be intelligently developed with an ecological and scientific approach. Mr. Boerma wishes to reinforce this participant level by manifesting the needs of indigenous people. For these reasons, he asks all participants to submit their propositions.

Several technical questions were raised by Mr. Mikhail Todyshev (representative of RAIPON, an association federating various small communities in Russia) and the representative of Tchoukotka. They have difficulties with highlighting the interests of their people in the eyes of the Russian government and therefore worry about the future. On his side, Mr. Geoff Nettleton (Philippine Indigenous People Links) emphasized that the needs of certain indigenous populations are not taken into account on the government level and would have difficulties with making their demands valuable on the side of SIPAM. Mr. Boerma stated that certain governments have from now on expressed interest regarding the project, indicating that certain potential sites could welcome the systems. These sites will be the base for the development of involved regions.

Finally, the system addressing developing countries and those in economic transition works to protect marginalized zones rich in biodiversity threatened by environmental, climatic, socio-economic and improper political changes. It should be noted that the project FEM (linked with SIPAM) wants to establish a long-term program for the conservation and the sustainable management of PAM (World Agricultural Heritage).


By : Melvina Araman and Didier Dutoit
Translated by : Kris Bailey

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