FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit celebrates the creation of a Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) and Other Provisions of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) related to Indigenous Peoples at the CBD COP16 in Cali

Cali, Colombia - On 1st November 2024, the 16th Conference of the Parties (COP16) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Cali, Colombia, adopted a  new Programme of Work on Article 8(j) of the Convention on Biological Diversity and created a Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) and Other Provisions of the Convention related to Indigenous Peoples as part of the institutional arrangements for the full implementation of the above-mentioned Article. In this so-called "COP of the people", member states managed to make historic and outstanding commitments on the rights and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples. 

Representatives of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, who attended as part of the FAO Official Delegation to the COP16 CBD, congratulates the adoption of the new Programme of Work on Article 8(j) and the creation of a Subsidiary Body, which will ensure the full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples in the works of the Convention. FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit highlights the role of the CBD member states and the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB) as the Adviser to the CBD on traditional knowledge and Indigenous Caucus to the CBD. In particular, it welcomes the joint collaboration and mutual support from the IIFB and Mesa Permanente de Concertación con los Pueblos y Organizaciones Indígenas de Colombia (MPC), which represents the Colombian Indigenous movement.

As part of the delegation, FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit played a fundamental supporting role in the negotiations following specific requirements from member states, and accompanied and facilitated the process with and amongst the IIFB and the MPC. The Unit also helped to facilitate the process of historic adoption of the five documents approved by the CBD under agenda Item 14: document L.5 on the new Programme of Work on Article 8(j); document L.6 establishment of the Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) and other provisions of the Convention related to Indigenous Peoples; document L.7 on the role of African descendants’ traditional lifestyles in the implementation of the Convention; document L.14 on the role of languages in the intergenerational transmission of Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge; and document L.15 recommendations from the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues pertaining to the CBD.

FAO, as a specialized UN Agency, works for the full recognition of the role of Indigenous Peoples´ food and knowledge systems in biodiversity conservation and reaffirms the importance of respecting their collective and customary rights according to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. FAO is ready to support the full implementation of the Programme of Work on Article 8(j) and the works of the new Subsidiary Body.

As part of the process to adopt this new Programme of Work and the Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) and other provisions of the CBD related to Indigenous Peoples,  FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit attended and supported the TRɄA World Summit on Traditional Knowledge Related to Biodiversity (Bogota, 26-29 August, 2024), organized by the IIFB, the Government of Colombia, and the MPC, with the support of the CBD Secretariat. FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit supported IIFB as rapporteur of the Summit, which had the objective of developing recommendations for the national implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and formulating recommendations on the new Programme of Work on Article 8(j) and institutional arrangements. 

At COP16 of the CBD, FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit offered that IIFB could organize a specific session during the 2025 UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum  (UNGIYF) related to Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge and biodiversity. In addition, FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit expressed interest in supporting the process of the new Subsidiary Body on Article 8(j) in matters related to Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems. 

At COP16, FAO expressed its commitment to supporting Indigenous-led actions to conserve and restore biodiversity. In this sense, initial steps for Indigenous Peoples´ biocentric restoration plans in Costa Rica and Peru have been taken by ministerial and high-level delegates, together with Indigenous Peoples’ representatives. The Indigenous Peoples’ biocentric restoration programme supports the works of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and contributes to the achievement of targets 2, 3 and 22 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, particularly the indicators on target 22 related to land use and land tenure by Indigenous Peoples. New and ongoing projects are taking place in Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, India, Nepal, Peru and Thailand. In Colombia, pilot projects on Indigenous Peoples´ biocentric restoration will soon start in collaboration with Organización Nacional Indígena de Colombia (ONIC).

Through these above-mentioned actions, FAO is aiming for recognition of the role of Indigenous Peoples´ food and knowledge systems as game changers in biodiversity conservation.