Farmers' Seed Network at COP16
Cali, Colombia
#Peace with Nature
The Farmers' Seed Network is preparing to participate in the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) at the UN Biodiversity Convention (CBD COP 16) in Cali, Colombia (October 21 - November 1, 2024). This pivotal meeting will evaluate progress on the ambitious Kunming-Montreal Framework.
The Farmers' Seed Network will engage actively at COP 16, advocating for the integration of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (IP&LCs) in biodiversity conservation efforts, with a strong focus on agricultural biodiversity and farmer seed systems. By highlighting the vital role of these systems in promoting food security and resilience, we aim to underscore the importance of traditional practices and local knowledge in achieving sustainable food systems.
CBD COP16 Joint Side Event
Biocultural Diversity and Territories:
Protecting Mountain Food Systems and IP & LC Solutions to the Biodiversity and Climate Crisis
Date: 23 October 2024
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Location: China Pavilion (in blue zone), CBD COP16 Venue
Form: Side Event and Parallel Poster Exhibition
Organizers:
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UNEP-International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP)
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Farmers’ Seed Network of China (FSN)
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Oxfam Hong Kong (OHK)
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Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden of CAS (XTBG-CAS)
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Global Environmental Institute (GEI)
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Shan Shui Conservation Center (SSCC)
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International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED)
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International Network of Mountainous Indigenous People (INMIP)
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Asociación ANDES (Peru)
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China Green Carbon Foundation
Agenda
13:30 - 14:00 | Video and Poster Showing
14:00 - 14:10 | Welcome and Opening remarks
Jinnan Wang, Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning
14:10 - 14:20 | Keynote Address
Yiching Song, UNEP-IEMP/ Farmers' Seed Network (China)
14:20 - 15:10 | Session 1: Conceptualizing Biocultural Territories and Community-Based Seed Systems: Framework, Case Studies and Insights
(Each speaker will have a maximum of 8 minutes for their presentation, followed by 2 minutes for quick clarifications.)
Moderator: Krystyna Swiderska and Yiching Song
Speakers：
Alejandro Argumedo, ANDES (Peru)
Indigenous Peoples and the biocultural territories are the real solutions to the biodiversity and climate crises
Krystyna Swiderska, IIED
Establishing a biocultural heritage territory in coastal Kenya to protect Mijikenda sacred Kaya forests and agrobiodiversity
Yongping Yang, XTBG-CAS
Local Cultural Diversity Promotes the Conservation and Utilization of Agrobiodiversity and Nature Biodiversity
Qian Wang, GEI
The potential of OECMs in China: Exploring Conservation Opportunities Beyond Protected Areas
Yuanqing Hou, China Green Carbon Foundation
Traditional Use and Conservation of Primary Forest and Bioculture of Medog China
15:10 - 15:30 | Panel discussion for Session 1
15:30 - 16:10 | Session 2: From Seed to Table by Linking Agri-food Systems and Natural Biodiversity for Climate Change Adaptation
(Each speaker will have a maximum of 8 minutes for their presentation, followed by 2 minutes for quick clarifications.)
Moderator：Shan Sun & Guanqi Li
Speakers：
Guanqi Li, Farmers’ Seed Network (China)
Enhancing Farmers’ Seed and Food Systems for Conserving Natural Biodiversity – A Case Study from Southwest China
Shan Sun, Shan Shui Conservation Center
Food System as a part of Conservation Designs - An Indigenous Ecological Perspective
Marleni Ramirez, Alliance of Bioversity International-CIAT
You are what you eat: supporting the food aspirations of the Pastos of Cumbal, Colombia
Yinlong Xu, IEDA-CAAS (video)
Building the Climate Adaptation Capacity for Sustainable Agri-food Systems Transformation
16:10 - 16:30 | Panel Discussion for Session 2
16:30 - 16:40 | Closing Speech
Speaker: Linxiu Zhang, UNEP-IEMP
16:40 - 17:00 | Group Photo and Networking
Related Articles
Indigenous Peoples are the real solutions to the nature and climate crises
By Krystyna Swiderska
Principal researcher and team leader, IIED's Natural Resources research group
Background and objectives
Indigenous people and Local Communties（IPLCs）with majority of small farmers worldwide have created biodiversity-rich cultural landscapes and continue to conserve most of the world’s biodiversity, which is declining less rapidly on their lands (IPBES, 2019). This preservation is supported by their traditional knowledge, holistic bio-cultures that promote harmony with nature. Meanwhile, the interconnected crises of biodiversity loss, climate vulnerability, and food insecurity exacerbate each other. Bio-cultural diversity and community-based farmer seed systems are vital for addressing these interlinked issues, and transforming to biodiversity-rich, climate-resilient, and healthy food systems. Small farmers produce a third of the world's food and serve as stewards of diverse plants, animals, and forests (FAO 2021, FSN 2022, Swiderska et al. 2022). However, these IPLCs and small farmers are often overlooked and disconnected from mainstream policies and efforts. Our co-exploration at grassroot level illustrated that IPLCs, and their Bio-cultural territories are essential for conserving biodiverse food-producing habitats and empowering local communities to tackle these interconnected crises and achieve multiple SDG goals.
The side event will present our shared concepts of Bio-cultural territories and farmer seed systems, showcasing potential OECMs and various pilot cases in China and other countries, aiming to contribute to the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The event has the following specific objectives:
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Showcase successful initiatives led by IPLCs to establish and enhance Biocultural Territories and farmer seed systems, addressing interlinked issues of biodiversity, food, and livelihoods in the context of climate change across Southwest China, the Himalaya-Hindu Kush, the Andes, and dryland ecosystems in Africa.
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Demonstrate the potential OECM roles of community-based crop conservation supported by farmer seed systems, and other possible community-based mechanisms like Biocultural Heritage Territory (BCHT), the Territories and Areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities (ICCA), Man and the Biosphere (MAB) etc.
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Explore the threats to IPLCs with small holding farmers, producers and Bio-cultural territories, calls for action, including the Declaration of the INMIP for COP16 and COP29.
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Further enhance and build a diversified multiple stakeholder network of domestic and cross-border platforms that includes UN agency, governments and scientific research institutions, social organizations, and communities for promoting, scaling out and up good practices and knowledge, and exploring cooperation for the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Targets and SDGs.
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Planned side events
Food Systems Innovation for People, Biodiversity, and Climate – An Innovation Fair
Date: 26 October 2024
Time: 9:00 – 15:00 (COT)
Location: Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT Campus
Host: Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT