Mobility matters

Guaranteeing Indigenous Peoples’ right to mobility is essential to preserve their food and knowledge systems, as well as biodiversity and food security. This is the main message from the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems’ side-event that took place on the 22nd of April in the framework of the 24th Session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII), which was based on the upcoming Global-Hub collective paper on Mobility within Indigenous Peoples' strategies for food, livelihoods and territoriality, and its importance for biodiversity conservation. 

Mobility is indeed an important feature of many Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems across the world. Moving across lands, seas, and territories, through space and time, Indigenous Peoples’ mobile practices include hunting and gathering, fishing, shifting cultivation, reindeer herding and pastoralism. Through their mobility, Indigenous Peoples work with and promote biodiversity at ecosystem-, plot-, species- and genetic-level, and adapt to ecological and seasonal variability. 

Millions of Indigenous Peoples depend on mobility within their strategies for food, livelihoods and territoriality, which in turn depend greatly on their traditional governance systems. For Indigenous Peoples, these lands, seas, territories and resources are life. Their distinct social structures, governance systems, protocols and customary laws regulate their collective use of lands, seas, territories and resources, demonstrating community values of respect, reciprocity and environmental stewardship. However, Indigenous Peoples that use mobility within their strategies for food, livelihoods and territoriality often suffer from specific discrimination and violation of their rights, including rights to land, resources and territories. 

The UNPFII side-event, co-organised by FAO, IWGIA and the Arramat Project, shed light on the importance to preserve Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems based on mobility and of guaranteeing the right to movement. 

Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa, Head of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, reminded that “across the world Indigenous Peoples are recognized as guardians of the remaining biodiversity. But they can only keep playing this role is their right to mobility and their territorial rights are recognised and respected. And the recognition should be rooted in Indigenous Peoples’ governance systems, cosmogonies and cultures". 

Vital Bamabanze, Member of the UNPFII, underlined the link between the importance of mobility for Indigenous Peoples food and knowledge systems and the recognition of their land tenure rights “In the context of Africa these rights are often overlooked for hunters, gatherers and pastoralists. The peoples who were hunters and gatherers were not owners of lands. These people depend on the land but they do not believe in owning the land. They are themselves part of the land", inevitably jeopardizing the food security of these Indigenous Peoples. 

Anders Oskal, Secretary General of the Association of World Reindeer Herders, spoke about the inherent sustainable nature of mobile Indigenous Peoples’ food systems in the Arctic. “When we look at the agricultural logic, there is an underlying premise there that man can control nature. Reindeer herders don’t have that notion, rather reindeer herders feel you can’t. And you must come to an agreement with nature. You can’t find the term ‘sustainable development’ in any reindeer herding culture. Why? Because it is inherent. Our lifeway is built on a close relationship with the natural environment". 

Gam Shimray, Secretary General of the Asian Indigeous Peoples Pact (AIPP), reminded of the connections between spirituality and one specific form of mobility in Indigenous Peoples’ food systems: shifting cultivation. “Shifting cultivation is a sustainable practice that works because it continues to nurture spiritual connections. Indigenous Peoples’ ecological knowledge is tied to spiritual connections, to the ways they navigate their world and the ways they live in their communities". 

Mariam Wallet Aboubakrine, co-principal investigator of the Ărramăt project, stressed the importance of Indigenous leadership when addressing issues of sustainability and food security. “Indigenous Peoples feel a sacred bond and interdependence between them and Mother Earth. We see conservation as our responsibility". She also reminded the strong relationship between pastoralists and their animals, and how they are both involved together in conservation efforts. 

Anne Brunel, coordinator of the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, reminded that “mobile practices with relation to Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems must be respected. But for being respected they must also be understood. The upcoming collective paper on mobility of the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems is a big step towards this direction". 

As outlined by the speakers, Indigenous Peoples’ mobility supports the efforts to conserve biodiversity, it is fundamental for millions of peoples’ food security, it is the base to preserve precious knowledge on ecosystems and food systems. Indigenous Peoples’ mobility should be respected and promoted. Indigenous Peoples’ right to mobility must be respected. 

Keep an eye on the Global-Hub's publications to get more information on this topic. The collective paper will be published soon!