China hosts historic global gathering on agricultural heritage through FAO’s South-South and Triangular Cooperation

Bangkok/ Huzhou, China – For the first time, China, through the Center for International Cooperation Services (CICOS), will provide an opportunity for GIAHS countries to exchange their accumulated experiences at the High-Level Training and Experience Sharing on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) in 2024.  The event, co-organized with FAO’s GIAHS Programme under the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme (SSC), will take place from 4  to 10 November 2024, in Huzhou and Xianju, Zhejiang Province.

This gathering marks a historic moment in FAO’s commitment to promoting agricultural heritage across regions. Representatives from 20 Member Nations with designated GIAHS systems will come together to share insights and innovations in managing these unique systems. They exemplify how agricultural practices and traditional knowledge can coexist with new technologies, showcasing sustainable models of biodiversity conservation, food security, and climate resilience.

Asia and the Pacific region leading the Agricultural Heritage Systems

In this region, 58 Agricultural Heritage Systems have been designated as Globally Important across nine countries and one territory: one in Bangladesh, 22 in China, two in India, six in Iran, 15 in Japan, one in the Philippines, seven in the Republic of Korea, one in Sri Lanka, one in Thailand, one in Indonesia and one in the Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Jong-Jin Kim, Assistant Director-General and FAO Regional Representative for Asia and the Pacific, stated, "Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) represent resilient agroecosystems where communities thrive in harmony with their land." He added, "These systems showcase remarkable agricultural diversity, traditional practices, and landscapes that communities cultivate for their livelihoods, food security and nutrition across Asia and the Pacific and beyond."

GIAHS: A global legacy of agricultural knowledge and sustainability

“With 89 designated Agricultural Heritage Systems across 28 countries around the globe, the programme has built a global network dedicating to support communities and countries in conserving agricultural heritage as a way to strengthen local resilience, sustainability, and food security,” said Piedad Martín, Deputy Director of the FAO Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity, and Environment.

China has been a leader in the GIAHS Programme since joining in 2005, with 22 sites designated as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. Moreover, China’s active role in promoting the conservation of these systems through initiatives such as the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme, has furthered the GIAHS mission by enabling technical exchanges and building capacity among GIAHS Member Nations. As the host country, China’s leadership and support underscore its longstanding commitment to agricultural heritage and rural development, making it an ideal venue for this year’s high-level training.

“Since China released its first Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (NIAHS) in 2013, so far 188 sites have been designated as NIAHS. This demonstrates how an impactful FAO Programme can foster an enabling policy environment at the country level”, noted Xu Ming, Deputy Director-General of the Center for International Cooperation Services (CICOS), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) of China.  

Knowledge sharing and capacity building through South-South and Triangular Cooperation

By drawing on their collective experiences and lessons learned, Member Nations from the Global South and North are safeguarding their GIAHS sites. The event underlines the power of knowledge-sharing in achieving global agricultural sustainability. For several years, the FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme has served as a model for international collaboration, facilitating exchanges of expertise and resources between countries to address the challenges of agricultural conservation.

"The FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme has effectively supported the GIAHS programme for the past years, ultimately developing the sites' capacities, thanks to China facilitating exchanges and technical knowhow" said Yahui Zhang, Senior Coordinator, FAO South-South and Triangular Cooperation Division.

Participants from 20 Member Nations will explore topics such as the role of agricultural heritage in sustainable development, its contributions to climate resilience, and its value in nature conservation. This gathering will also allow participants to examine ways that traditional systems can enhance food security and rural livelihoods through community-led conservation.

Field visits to iconic agricultural heritage systems in Zhejiang province

The event will feature on-site visits to two globally significant GIAHS in Zhejiang Province: the Huzhou Mulberry-Dyke and Fish-Pond System and the Xianju Ancient Chinese Waxberry Composite System. The Huzhou system exemplifies a unique approach to sustainable land and water use, where fish farming and mulberry cultivation are integrated to enhance soil fertility, boost fish production, and preserve water quality. Meanwhile, the Xianju Waxberry Composite System is a traditional agroecosystem that incorporates waxberry trees with other crops, demonstrating how biodiversity and resilience can be achieved through multi-crop cultivation.

These field visits are an opportunity for GIAHS representatives to observe sustainable agricultural practices in action, gain firsthand knowledge of traditional farming systems, and explore practical applications of agricultural heritage to address modern challenges.

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FAO Press Release in Chinese: 2024联合国粮农组织-中国南南合作全球重要农业文化遗产高级别能力建设活动在中国浙江启动 | 粮农组织在中国 | 联合国粮食及 农业组织