Highlights from the Special Event on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems and Genetic Resources: Pathways to Food Security, Nutrition, Biodiversity and Resilience

As part of the celebration of the World Food Day and FAO’s 80th anniversary, the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit and the Secretariat of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture jointly hosted a Special Event on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems and Genetic Resources: Pathways to Food Security, Nutrition, Biodiversity and Resilience.

The event showcased the indispensable role of Indigenous Peoples as stewards of agricultural genetic resources and biodiversity. It highlighted how their traditional knowledge and sustainable practices contribute directly to food security, improved nutrition, ecosystem resilience and biodiversity conservation. The discussions underscored the powerful synergies created by Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems, offering essential pathways to tackle pressing global social and environmental challenges.

In her opening remarks, Ms Ana Lucia Trujillo Guerrero, First Secretary at the Permanent Mission of Colombia to the UN Agencies in Rome, emphasized the critical importance of Indigenous Peoples in biodiversity stewardship and the sustainable management of agricultural genetic resources. She highlighted the relevance of Indigenous Peoples’ active participation in the work of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, especially for Colombia, where rich ancestral knowledge is tightly interwoven with sustainable food systems.

Adding to this, Ms. Iside Tacchinardi, Advisor at Norway’s Permanent Mission in Rome, voiced strong support for Indigenous Peoples’ participation in global discussions on genetic resource and biodiversity. She highlighted the expertise of Indigenous Peoples in developing and preserving diverse crop varieties essential to collective food security strategies, and emphasized the significance of the Svalbard Global Seed Vault in safeguarding seeds worldwide – including many seeds provided by Indigenous Peoples.

Delivering a keynote presentation, Ms. Manoela Pessoa De Miranda, Secretary of the Commission, drew attention to the historic milestone at the Commission’s 20th Session, where the role of Indigenous Peoples, local communities and smallholder farmers as custodians of genetic resources was formally recognized. A significant focus of her remarks was on the need to strengthen access and benefit-sharing measures and support Indigenous Peoples’ governance systems. She stated that “Indigenous Peoples play a vital role in protecting genetic resources. Respecting their rights and traditional knowledge supports global goals to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and creates a more sustainable future”. She concluded by reaffirming the Commission’s commitment to advancing and supporting this important work at global and national levels.

The event also featured a dynamic panel discussion with Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts who brought diverse perspectives on the interlinkages between Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, genetic resources, biodiversity, resilience and nutrition. Panelists included Alexander Meybeck, Coordinator of the FAO High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition; Longvah Thingnganing of the Naga People and former researcher at the National Institute of Nutrition, India; Carol Zavaleta of the Quechua People from the Indigenous Peoples Observatory Network, Peru; Tainá Marajoara of the Aruã-Marajora People from Ponto de Cultura Alimentar Iacitatá, Brazil; Barbara Burlingame, Professor of Public Health at Massey University, New Zealand (Aotearoa); and Pablo Innecken from the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit.

The event concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen partnerships with Indigenous Peoples and to elevate their voices in international forums. It underscored the urgent need for collaborative efforts to ensure that Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems are an integral component of global strategies for food security, biodiversity conservation, and climate resilience. Moving forward, meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples in policymaking will be critical to harnessing for the transformation of agrifood systems and a sustainable future.