Capacity building of small-scale farming/indigenous communities to manage and conserve Agricultural Heritage Systems

The project ‘Underpinning the Resiliency of Agricultural Heritage Systems and Rewarding Smallholders, Family Farmers and Indigenous Communities’ started in 2016, funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and implemented by World Agricultural Heritage Foundation (WAHF) in collaboration with national partners in China, Philippines and Tunisia. It aims at developing the capacities of custodians of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) to manage and conserve these systems, and to promote recognition and empowerment of smallholder family farmers, notably women, youth and indigenous peoples. Core components include (1) training of farmers and local custodians to assess, monitor and manage the resiliency of their GIAHS sites; (2) documentation of knowledge and best practices in conserving and managing GIAHS sites, particularly the biodiversity associated to them; and (3) networking and social media application (‘AgLegacy’ app) to share and disseminate knowledge between and among farmers to strengthen management and conservation of GIAHS sites. Key outcomes are enhanced understanding and awareness of the inherent values of traditional agriculture and associated ecosystem goods and services and of the important role of farmers and indigenous communities in this regard; and increased networking, sharing and exchange of knowledge between and among farmers, including through social media.