Systèmes Ingénieux du Patrimoine Agricole Mondial (SIPAM)

Memorandum of Understanding between the Kingdom of Spain and FAO for the promotion of GIAHS

04 July 2017

A Memorandum of Understanding was signed today in Rome, FAO HQ, between H.E. the Vice Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food and Environment, of the Kingdom of Spain, Mr. Jaime Haddad Sánchez de Cueto, and the FAO Deputy Director-General, Coordinator for Natural Resources, Mrs. Maria Helena Semedo.

The main purpose of the MoU is to encourage the development of the GIAHS Programme in Spain, through the identification of new potential GIAHS sites, as well as to disseminate the GIAHS concept in Europe, through the organization of international workshops, seminars and experience-sharing activities. The activities carried out under the framework of this agreement, will have the ultimate goal of raising awareness and promoting the inclusion of the GIAHS approach in the Spanish and European rural development policies. Finally, through the signature of this MoU, Spain offered its valuable support in the conduct of scientific studies on the role of traditional agriculture systems in areas such as adaptation and mitigation of climate change, biodiversity conservation.

The signing ceremony was concluded with the official submission of the first Spanish candidate site, the Salt Valley of Añana, which is also the first proposal for GIAHS submitted by a European country to FAO.