Agriculture is the basic economic activity of most African countries and the agriculture sector is essential for food and livelihood security and poverty alleviation. Over 75 percent of African population is rural composed of small scale holdings and family farming with a vast diversity of agroecosystems evolved over generations forming the livelihood basis of millions of farmers. Many of these farming systems are also unique in many agro-ecological and socio-economical aspects, often harbouring important agro-biodiversity and indigenous knowledge and are resilient to climate variability and change. The aim of this project is to enhance the viability of small holding and traditional agriculture and pastoral systems and enhance food and nutritional security of indigenous communities depending on these systems in Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania. This project is the Sub-Sahara Africa component of the FAO global initiative on conservation and adaptive management of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). Two specific transboundary systems and their population will be targeted: Masaai pastoral system and upland agro-forestry systems. The “dynamic conservation” approach which the project is advocating will address adaptive management and conservation of productive landscape of Masaai and Upland communities and will build capacity of local communities in Kenya and the United Republic of Tanzania as a mean to achieve sustainable agriculture and rural development (SARD). It is expected that the project will also contribute to sustainable development through: (i) enhancing the benefits derived by local populations and indigenous peoples from the management, conservation and sustainable use of agricultural biodiversity and natural resources; (ii) adding economic value and sharing derived benefits from these systems; (iii) enhancing food security and alleviating poverty while maintaining ecosystem goods and services of traditional agricultural systems (iv) improving awareness and education among government agencies, local authorities and communities, and other stake holders; (iv) demonstrating “local livelihood benefits – global environmental benefits linkages” through agro-ecosystem approaches across government agencies, local communities, indigenous peoples and private sector; (v) guarantee that the right to adequate food is realized by ensuring that every man, woman and child, in the target communities, have the physical and economic access at all times to adequate food or means for its procurement; and (vi) disseminating key best practices and lessons learnt between implementing agencies, recipient communities and countries -locally, regionally and on a global scale. The project will collaborate and build synergies with Conservation Agriculture- SARD Phase II project implemented by FAO in these two countries promoting win-win options and adapted technologies and with the Right to Food Unit to make sure that the rights to food are considered in the establishment of GIAHS. The tangible results of the project will be shared with other GIAHS and CA-SARD communities and will be up- scaled and replicated at national and international levels through GIAHS International Steering Committee. Efforts will be deployed to internationally recognize Maasai Pastoral and Upland Agro-forestry Systems as World Agricultural Heritage in collaboration with UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve programme and World Heritage or alternatively through FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture