Constituting only 5 percent of the world population, indigenous peoples are nevertheless vital stewards of the environment. 28 percent of the world’s land surface, including some of the most ecologically intact and biodiverse forest areas, are primarily managed by indigenous peoples, families, smallholders and local communities. These forests are crucial for curbing gas emissions and maintaining biodiversity. Indigenous foods are also particularly nutritious, and their associated food systems are remarkably climate-resilient and well-adapted to the environment.
Indigenous peoples’ ways of life and their livelihoods can teach us a lot about preserving natural resources, sourcing and growing food in sustainable ways and living in harmony with nature. Mobilizing the expertise that originates from this heritage and these historical legacies is important for addressing the challenges facing food and agriculture today and in the future.
Here are 5 of the many ways in which indigenous peoples are helping the world combat climate change:
1. Their traditional agricultural practices are better adapted to a changing climate
Throughout the centuries, indigenous peoples have developed agricultural techniques that are adapted to extreme environments, like the high altitudes of the Andes or the dry grasslands of Kenya. Their time-tested techniques, such as terracing to prevent soil erosion or floating gardens to make use of flooded fields, are well suited for the increasingly extreme weather events and temperature changes brought on by climate change.
2. They conserve and restore forests and natural resources
Indigenous peoples see themselves as connected to nature and as part of the same system as the environment in which they live.
They have adapted their lifestyles to fit into and respect their environments. In mountains, indigenous peoples’ landscape management systems preserve soil, reduce erosion, conserve water and decrease the risk of disasters. In rangelands, indigenous pastoralist communities manage cattle grazing and cropping in sustainable ways that preserve rangeland biodiversity. In the Amazon, ecosystems’ biodiversity improve when indigenous people inhabit them.