Contribution of forests and the ancestral knowledge
of Indigenous, Native and Afro-descendant Peoples
and Local Communities to the establishment of
healthy and wholesome food and
sustainable agrifood systems

Regional exchange of experiences within the framework of the Decade of Family Farming

Bolivia, 12-16 October 2023

Join the exchange on Zoom here

Meeting ID: 985 6177 0303

Access Code: 60224477

The Decade of Family Farming was launched worldwide in 2019. Forest and farm producers' organizations (FFPOs) are key to the implementation of the action plan for this decade and the impact on the territory; especially considering that 80% of the world's food comes from family farming.

In this context, the Forest and Farm Facility (FFF) in strategic alliance with the Mesoamerican Alliance of Peoples and Forests (AMPB), the FAO Representations in Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and other partners will bring together forest and farm producer organizations (FFPOs), Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendants, and local communities as part of the Decade of Family Farming.

The exchange will focus on the vital role of forests and ancestral knowledge in promoting healthy and sustainable food systems. The event aims to foster innovations in gastronomy that utilize agrobiodiversity, involving various stakeholders, including producer organizations, government representatives, chefs, and more. The goal is to promote conservation, sustainable use of biodiversity, and the development of sustainable food systems.

Objectives

1. Encourage the consolidation and scaling up of programs and public policies that promote the conservation and sustainable use of agrobiodiversity through the innovations and gastronomic knowledge of indigenous peoples, Afro-descendants and local communities.
2. Exchange knowledge and flavors of the diverse gastronomies of the participating countries, and promote debate on:
   1. are there similarities in the knowledge and flavors?
   2. what are the particularities that make them unique?
   3. is there a transfer of knowledge to future generations?
   4. what role do men and women play in safeguarding "knowledge and flavor"?
   5. are there foods that come directly from the forests and are they common among countries?
3. Promote gastronomic innovations with products from forests; gastronomic tourism ventures; use of ingredients from wild or cultivated agrobiodiversity, through practical/experiential training in the landscapes where the Forest and Farm Facility, FAO and other strategic allies are providing technical assistance.
4. Identify knowledge, good practices and lessons learned through the systematization of traditional knowledge and practices used by indigenous and afro-descendant peoples, as well as local communities related to their food and the conservation, harvesting/use and management of forests, and agrifood systems.
5. Identify the main challenges and alternative solutions to achieve the replicability and scalability of actions in favor of the conservation and sustainable use of wild or cultivated agrobiodiversity in the regions with forests, as the main input for the generation of public policy proposals and mobilization of resources for the revaluation of ancestral knowledge to achieve a healthy and wholesome diet and sustainable agri-food systems from forests.
6. Conduct a commercial meeting (small business roundtable) between the Agricultural and Forestry Producers' Organizations participating in the event with potential national and international buyers.

Expected outcomes

• FFPOs will conduct in-depth analyses to determine the necessary financial support for addressing identified issues, such as enhanced nutrition.Discussions will be held to explore how government and donor support can be improved to facilitate FFPOs' access to essential funding.
• An agreement will be established among FFPOs in the region to ensure ongoing knowledge and experience exchange among themselves for future collaboration.
• Business round tables will be organized, enabling rural local producers to engage with large buyers, including medium-big enterprises.