The Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems – Find out more
The Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems is a knowledge platform that brings together Indigenous and non-indigenous scientists, knowledge-holders, and experts to establish a knowledge-dialogue in order to generate evidence on the sustainability and resilience of Indigenous Peoples' food systems. The Global-Hub informs policy discussions and research agendas on food security, biodiversity and climate change at local, national and regional level; ensuring that Indigenous Peoples’ traditional knowledge and rights are at the center and that their food systems are valued and protected. By working horizontally and vertically in knowledge sharing, the Global-Hub supports the well-being of Indigenous Peoples, the preservation of their ancestral territorial management practices, and their food systems that have feed them for centuries while preserving most of the remaining terrestrial biodiversity in the planet.
UN Food Systems Summit and Indigenous Peoples
In close coordination with Indigenous Peoples, the UNPFII, The Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, UN agencies and FAO Members; FAO and partners worked to ensure the meaningful participation and influence of Indigenous Peoples in the UNFSS. Through various activities including:
The Coalition on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems
In 2021, Indigenous Peoples and seven FAO Members - Canada, Dominican Republic, Finland, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, and Spain - joined forces to create a Coalition on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems in the frame of the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS). The Coalition aims to further ensure the understanding, respect, recognition, inclusion, and protection of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, whilst proving evidence on their “game-changing and systemic” aspects. The Coalition is the result of intense advocacy work from the delegation of Indigenous Peoples with support from the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems. The Scientific Group of the UNFSS and FAO Members recognized Indigenous Peoples’ food systems as game-changers.
- Supporting a delegation of 13 Indigenous Peoples' representatives to participate in 14 sessions during the UNFSS Pre-Summit: “Indigenous Peoples’ food systems are a game-changing solution to ensure more sustainable food systems.”
- Drafting the White/Wiphala Paper on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems as a constructive and evidence based contribution to the summit.
- Coordinating knowledge exchanges with the Scientific Group and Action Track Technical Committees of the UNFSS to put Indigenous Peoples at the forefront of the UN Food Systems Pre-Summit: The Scientific Group of the UN Food Systems Summit starts a dialogue to bring together scientific and Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge.
- Commentary article in Nature food on Rethinking hierarchy of evidence for sustainable food systems drafted by the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, and advocating for better recognition, acceptance and prominence of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems in global policy-making.
- Mobilizing Indigenous Peoples' leaders in over 25 UNFSS Summit Dialogues: The first Arctic Indigenous Peoples’ Regional Dialogue on Food Systems | High-Level Expert Seminar on North American Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, Towards the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit | Indigenous Youth Global Declaration on Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems
Libro Blanco/Wiphala sobre sistemas alimentarios de los Pueblos Indígenas
FAO, 2021
Este Libro Blanco/Wiphala sobre los sistemas alimentarios de los pueblos indígenas es el resultado del trabajo colectivo de representantes y expertos de los pueblos indígenas, científicos, investigadores y personal de la ONU. Más de 60 diferentes unidades, organizaciones e instituciones de seis regiones socioculturales han contribuido al documento. Esta versión final del Libro Blanco/Wiphala ha sido coordinada por el Centro-Mundial sobre Sistemas Alimentarios de los Pueblos Indígenas y editada por un Comité Editorial Técnico; igualmente, resume los principales puntos recibidos.
FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Unit, the FAO Liaison Office for North America, and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) organized the Expert Seminar will provide a high-level platform for North American experts to present and discuss the critical importance and contributions of North American Indigenous Peoples’ food systems in relation to the primary objectives of the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit. | Find out more
Introductory meetings with North American Indigenous People’s on food systems
FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Unit, the FAO Liaison Office for North America, and the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) hosted eight introductory brainstorming sessions in 2020 with Indigenous Peoples partners aimed to revitalize, sustain and protect adequate access to nutritional, culturally appropriate foods, and clean waters. These meetings aimed to expand and strengthen dialogues with North American Indigenous Peoples across Canada and the United States of America, to understand their food system priorities and share information about ongoing global dialogues.| Find out more
The Expert Seminar on Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Peoples’ Fisheries in the Arctic Region – Find out more | Final declaration
The Expert Seminar on Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous People's Fisheries in the Arctic Region took place in FAO Rome on September 23-24, 2019. It brought together more than 40 Indigenous Peoples' experts, fishers, researchers and other stakeholders from the region to share perspectives and exchange experiences on traditional knowledge and elements that could guide and support Indigenous Peoples' fisheries policy.
The High-Level Seminar on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems | Final report
The first High-Level Expert Seminar on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems took place in FAO Headquarters the 7 – 9 November 2018. It brought together more than 200 participants, out of which 23 country delegations and 70 speakers from more than 40 countries, 22 Indigenous Peoples and 20 universities and research centers. The Expert Seminar presented fieldwork and research of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems from different parts of the world, looking at informing the global debate on sustainability and climate resilience in the context of the 2030 Agenda and the United Nations Decade of Action of Nutrition