News in 2014
GIAHS exhibition debuts at China Agricultural Trade Fair
Beijing, China, 30 October 2014
With a history of 5,000 years in farming civilization, China is home to diversified agricultural heritage of great economic, ecological and cultural value. Conserving and developing such agricultural treasure will be conducive to increasing agricultural productivity, farmer's income and prosperity of rural community. Read more>
Role of Traditional Agriculture in Biodiversity Conservation Discussed at CBD COP12
Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea, 30 October 2014
An official side event organized by UNU-IAS Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (OUIK) and the Republic of Korea National Academy of Agricultural Science Rural Development Administration (RDA) on the theme of Traditional Agriculture System and Biological Diversity was held at the twelfth meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP12) on 7 October 2014 in Pyeongchang, Republic of Korea. Read more>
Announcement of FAO-ISESCO Joint Workshop on GIAHS for the Islamic Countries
Rome, Italy, 30 October 2014
In collaboration with the Islamic Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ISESCO), an international workshop on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) will be held from 4-5 November 2014 at FAO-HQ, Rome, Italy. The workshop is aimed to facilitate understanding of the significance of Culture and Agriculture in sustainable development, as well as promoting and safeguarding the evolving traditional systems of global and local significance. The workshop is also aimed to strengthen the collaboration between FAO and ISESCO member countries. Read more>
FAO-China South-South Cooperation Programme unveils new GIAHS ambassadors
Beijing, China, 1 October 2014
Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Department of International Cooperation (DIC) Counsel Qu Sixi congratulated 23 participants from 12 countries in Asia and the Pacific who attended the South-South Cooperation’s Symposium on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), which was held from 14 to 27 September 2014 in China. Read more>
“Protecting and developing significant agricultural heritage and boosting modern agricultural and rural development”
Beijing, China, 22 September 2014
The Third APEC Ministerial Meeting on Food Security was organized in Beijing on 19th September 2014, during which Beijing Declaration on APEC Food Security was issued with the consensus reached by all the participating economies including USA, Canada and Australia. Read more>
Rice Fish "Agri-Culture" Heritage: enduring farms, ensuring livelihoods
Qingtian, China, 29 July 2014
Rice Fish Culture (RFC) of China is a pilot system supported by the FAO-GEF global Initiative on “Conservation and Adaptive Management of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS)” with the participation of Algeria, China, Chile, Peru, Philippines, and Tunisia. The Project seeks to promote the international and national recognition of agricultural heritage systems and their dynamic conservation in-situ through policy support, capacity building and concrete support to local communities and their livelihood to conserve and manage GIAHS, generate income and add economic value to goods and services of such systems. Read more>
Announcement of High Level Training on GIAHS to be held in China
Beijing, China, 23 July 2014
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) China are organizing the “First High-Level Training course on the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) – Think Globally, Act Locally”. MOA of China has agreed to cover costs for up to 30 participants from specified countries under the South-South Cooperation（SSC) work plan for 2014. Read more>
China and France sets a vivid example of Twinning Programme
Fuzhou, China, 23 July 2014
The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System “Jasmine and Tea Culture” of China and the “Association Campaigning for the Inscription of the Climats du Vignoble de Bourgogne” of the UNESCO World Heritage List of France signed the Memorandum of Cooperation for Agricultural Heritages in Fuzhou, China on 6 July 2014. Read more>
Iran’s Qanat Irrigation placed on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems list
Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, 6 May 2014
The birthplace of jasmine tea and a nearly 3,000 year old irrigation system are among the traditional farming sites designated “globally important” land use systems or landscapes by Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), according to UN Information Center in Tehran. Read more>
Tradition valued
Rome, Italy, 1 May 2014
“The message is clear: traditional farming systems are very important to how the world is going to feed itself in the future”, noted Maria Helena Semedo, Deputy Director-General, NR in a ceremony designating six new Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) held in FAO headquarters on 29 April. “Worldwide recognition of GIAHs is particularly timely this year, the International Year of Family Farming. The Director-General asked me explicitly to relay these messages to you”, she said, “I can see by the presence and the interest in this room that there is strong commitment. Read more>
GIAHS Ceremony in Korea
Sejong, Republic of Korea, 5 April 2014
The GIAHS ceremony in Korea was held on 4th April during the special meeting of KIAHS (Korean Important Agricultural Heritage Systems) Committee to report on the designation of two sites to stakeholders followed by the ceremony of certificates presentation in advance of the formal designation to be held on 28th and 29th April on the occasion of GIAHS Steering and Scientific Committee Meeting. Read more>
Unique landscape on a slippery slope of existence
Xinghua, China, 23 April 2014
As natural factors and human activities begin to take toll on the traditional agro-systems, protecting them entails worldwide cooperation, said Li, also chairman of GIAHS Steering Committee of UN Food and Agricultural Organization, in a keynote speech on April 8 during the first conference of East Asia Research Association for Agricultural Heritage Systems, or ERAHS. Read more>
Announcement of Steering and Scientific Committee Meeting, FAO Headquarters, Rome, Italy 28-29 April, 2014
Rome, Italy, 7 April 2014
Based on the experience and lessons learnt in the past years , it is good time to consider a possible way forward of GIAHS in this transitional phase through discussions with partners and member countries, the Scientific Committee and Steering Committee members. Read more>
Date palm oases in the United Arab Emirates could be a candidate for Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, 18 March 2014
“Date palms not only provide food and income, but are part of the history, culture and tradition of the region. The date palm production system in the United Arab Emirates could become the first Globally Important Agriculture Heritage System (GIAHS) in the Near East countries in 2015", FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said at the Khalifa International Date Palm Award Ceremony held in Abu Dhabi, during the 5th International Date Palm Conference. Read more>