Natural resources management is a critical branch of sustainable rural development that requires thorough understanding of theland, the people who nurtures the land and how they govern land. They are historically, socially-ecologically constructed systems. While in today’s generation, natural resources management is intertwined with the problems of poverty, food and livelihood security and land degradation. This fact is recognized and there is no single sectorial approach that can successfully address this complex problem. The solutions however, require multi-dimensional/multi-faceted strategies, involving efforts to strengthen institutions and local capacities for managing natural resources.

In 2002, FAO initiated a programme called “Conservation and Adaptive Management of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems”. Among others, the programme aims to safeguard and establish basis for global recognition, dynamic conservation and adaptive management of agricultural heritage systems and their agricultural biodiversity, knowledge systems, food and livelihood security and cultures throughout the world. Within this context and to facilitate understanding of the inherent characteristics of the traditional family farming communities and indigenous peoples’ management of natural resources, the notes and guides is necessitated.