GIAHS Side Events at Rio+20 Conference Announcement
11 June 2012
The Food and Agriculture Organization recognizes the enormous contributions and important role of family farmers, indigenous peoples and local communities in managing and conserving our natural resources - past, present, future.
Ten years after its initiation by FAO in 2002, during the World Summit on Sustainable Development, the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems Initiative (GIAHS) represents a sophisticated framework for the recognition, dynamic conservation and adaptive management of remarkable systems of agriculture with their agricultural biodiversity, associated biodiversity and landscapes, food security and livelihoods. GIAHS Initiative emphasizes balance between conservation, adaptation and socio-economic development - sustaining agriculture development while maintaining the harmony between nature and people. It directly contributes to the achievement of Millennium Development Goals, 1 and 7 of Ending poverty and hunger and ensuring Environmental Sustainability.
In collaboration with various organizations and partners, GIAHS side events on-site Rio Centro and off-site shall be held to showcase humanity’s agricultural heritage and its role in addressing the themes and critical issues at Rio+20. The side events will also contribute to discussions on how SDGs can be taken forward beyond the conference and taking into account the significant role of family farming communities in the formulation of a post-2015 development framework that has sustainability, food security and poverty eradication at its core.
- “World Agricultural Heritage Systems: towards a sustainable development”: on 18 June 2012 from 17:30 – 19:00 hrs at Room T-2 Rio Centro Jointly organized by FAO and PCEDI (on-site) Programme
- “Living Heritage for Sustainable Development”: on 21 June 2012 from 15:30 to 17:00 hrs at UN6 (Barra Arena) room, jointly organized by FAO and Islamic Educational and Scientific Organization (ISESCO)
-“World’s Agricultural Heritage: our common heritage for a food secured planet": on 21 June from 18:00-19:00 hrs at the Mountain Partnership Pavilion Programme