GIAHS Regional Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean Announcement
Mexico City, Mexico, 22 April 2016
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, with the support of the Government of Mexico City and the Institute for the protection of heritage area in Xochimilco, Tlahuac and Milpa Alta, AZP, are organizing the GIAHS Regional Workshop for Latin America and the Caribbean, which will be held in Mexico City, from 27 to 29 April 2016. To watch a video clip of the event, please click here
1. Background
In Latin America and the Caribbean, smallholders and family farming cover more than 16 million farms and 60 million people. Many remarkable traditional agricultural, forestry and fishery systems have been created, shaped and maintained by generations of farmers, herders and forest peoples based on diverse natural resources. Since FAO launched the GIAHS initiative in 2002, more and more countries of this region have expressed their interest in GIAHS and are in the process of identifying potential sites. Within this context, a 3-day Regional Workshop on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems for Latin America and the Caribbean will be jointly organized by FAO and Government of Mexico city.
2. Objectives
- Share experiences and views with countries in the Region;
- Present potential GIAHS sites in the participating countries;
- Provide face-to-face guidance on the preparation of GIAHS proposal;
- Explore the appropriate ways to up-scale and out-scale GIAHS in the Region.
3. Expected outcomes
- Raise awareness on an deep understanding of GIAHS concept;
- Identify potential GIHAS sites in the Region;
- Improve participating countries’ capability on GIAHS sites selection, and preparation of standardized proposal according to GIAHS template;
- Collect information on dynamic conservation actions of GIAHS sites in this Region.
4. Participants (please see the attached annex)
- Government officials and experts of research institute from 16 regional countries without GIAHS sites (Mexico, Ecuador, Brazil, Guyana, Panama, Bolivia, Venezuela, Jamaica, Bahamas, Belize, Costa Rica, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala and Honduras);
- Resource persons from 3 GIAHS pilot countries (Peru, Chile, China) ;
- Local media staff;
- FAO staff from HQ and regional office.