Restoring the Planet, Reviving Knowledge

Rome – As the world faces a mounting ecological crisis, marked by the rapid degradation of ecosystems, biodiversity loss, and advancing desertification, an ambitious initiative is lighting a path forward: the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme.

On 4 June, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) hosted a high-level hybrid workshop at the Sheikh Zayed Centre in Rome to launch the Global Programme on Indigenous Peoples’ biocentric restoration. The High-Level workshop was followed by more than 170 in-person and online attendees. Opened by the Vice Minister of Environment in Peru, and the Ambassadors of Brazil and Colombia, the event brought together Indigenous leaders, government representatives, UN agency officers, Indigenous Peoples’ food systems experts, forestry experts and restoration practitioners to exchange knowledge and strengthen global collaboration.

The High-Level workshop was co-organized by Brazil, Colombia, CINDES, IIFB, INBAR, Colectivo Jopago and Xucurú People, and The FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit (PSUI) with the support of the Office of the Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB).

The Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme, crafted by the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit and Indigenous Peoples’ leaders since 2018, is designed to restore degraded ecosystems in critical biomes while recognizing Indigenous Peoples' collective rights, spiritual beliefs and territorial management practices. The programme emphasizes the critical role that Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems, as well as the Indigenous Peoples’ cosmogonic practices, play in ecosystem restoration, not just as participants but as leaders in the process.

The workshop was opened by H.E. Carla Barroso Carneiro, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Brazil to FAO, who emphasized Brazil’s support as they are hosting and presiding the COP30 of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change this December. Ambassador Carla Barroso Carneiro highlighted, “Our observance of the biocentric approach is deeply embedded in Indigenous culture and spiritual traditions. Brazil understands that Indigenous communities provide environmental services through their diverse, regenerative and circular agricultural practices, which contribute to pollination, climate regulation, water, biodiversity and soil conservation, and carbon sequestration”. Furthermore, “I welcome the work of FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Unit in promoting biocentric restoration led by Indigenous Peoples and expresses the commitment of the Brazilian government to support Indigenous-led restoration actions”, Ambassador Barroso Carneiro confirmed. “As a result of this, a few weeks ago, Brazil’s Federal Government has launched a public call for approximately 30 million US dollars in resources from the Amazon Fund (Fundo Amazônia) for the ecological restoration of approximately 137 Indigenous lands”.

H.E. Carla Barroso Carneiro, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Brazil to FAO

Remembering COP16 of the CBD in Colombia “In Cali, in 2024, the international community witnessed a turning point: the adoption of the Article 8(j) Program of Work, as well as the creation of a new subsidiary body on Indigenous Peoples' knowledge” said H.E. Jhenifer Mojica, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Colombia to FAO, the country who presided the COP16 of the Convention on Biological Diversity. “Colombia led this process with conviction, because we deeply believe in the central role of Indigenous Peoples in the conservation, sustainable use, and restoration of biodiversity. Today, we celebrate a natural extension of that spirit: the advancement of the Global Biocentric Restoration Program for Indigenous Peoples, led by FAO and its Indigenous Peoples Unit. This program recognizes that restoration is not merely a technical act, but a living, spiritual, cultural, and territorial process. In it, nature is not an object of intervention, but a subject of law and the center of life”.

H.E. Jhenifer Mojica, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Colombia to FAO

Peru, as one of the countries who is leading the implementation of the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme, was represented by the outstanding participation of H.E. Raquel Soto, Vice-Minister of Environment, who reaffirmed “In Peru, we are making steady progress toward what will become the Biocentric Restoration Plan for Indigenous Peoples for the Southern Andean Corridor, which includes the territories of Cusco, Arequipa, Puno, and Moquegua. This initiative is the result of a participatory process, led by Indigenous communities themselves, with the support of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, Centro CINDES, and the support of the Peruvian Government through the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agriculture and SERFOR”, she said. “Over the past few months, we have witnessed collaborative work with FAO, the CINDES Center, and also with local authorities, provincial mayors, community leaders, and Indigenous organizations, who have formally requested the formulation of this plan.”

H.E. Raquel Soto, Vice-Minister of Environment or Peru

This global initiative is distinguished by its biocentric approach, an environmental philosophy that places all life, not just humans, at the center of restoration efforts. The programme acknowledges Indigenous Peoples not as passive beneficiaries but as leaders, knowledge holders, and guardians of ancestral ecosystems.

As part of the opening remarks, Ramiro Batzin, Co-chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), which is the Indigenous Caucus to the CBD, reaffirmed “As a Maya Kaqchikel, I want to highlight that the Indigenous Peoples’ biocentric restoration approach is deeply rooted in our cosmogony, where all elements of life -humans, animals, forests, rivers, mountains- are interconnected and sacred. This worldview is not symbolic; it is the foundation of our self-governance systems, our food systems, and our relationship with the Mother Earth. As the Indigenous Caucus to the CBD, the IIFB supported with key recommendations and requests during the negotiations in the CBD COP16, for getting the adoption of an Article 8(j) Programme of Work and its subsidiary body on traditional knowledge, which was adopted with the strong support of the Indigenous Caucus”, he stated. 

“The recognition of biocentric restoration in these spaces is not only a political achievement, it is a spiritual one. It reflects the return of Indigenous voices and values to the heart of global biodiversity policy.” His remarks framed restoration as both spiritual and ecological, rooted in identity and territory.

Ramiro Batzin, Co-chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB)

On behalf of the FAO, Kaveh Zahedi, Director of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB), opened the workshop highlighting that “Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems are historically underrecognized but now gaining traction in global climate and biodiversity dialogues, thanks to leadership from countries like Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. CBD COP16 and the creation of a permanent body on traditional knowledge are one of the best examples”.  He noted that FAO is working to embed Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems in the national biodiversity and climate plans (NBSAPs and NDCs). “FAO [Indigenous] Biocentric Restoration Global Program is scaling up the recognition to the value of the Indigenous [Peoples’] knowledge to restore degraded ecosystems and supporting the implementation of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.” 

Kaveh Zahedi, Director of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) of the FAO

Joint collaboration with the three Rio conventions: UNCCD, CBD and UNFCCC

In relation with the ongoing work to halt land degradation and desertification, the UNCCD and FAO are working together to support Indigenous-led actions: “The creation of two new caucuses (one for Indigenous Peoples and one for local communities) at our most recent UNCCD COP (Saudi Arabia, 2024) marked a historic milestone for the UNCCD”, stated Andrea Meza, Deputy Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD). “This decision recognizes the critical role that Indigenous Peoples play in restoring lands, securing nutritious food, strengthening soil health, and safeguarding tenure rights. The Indigenous’ Biocentric restoration, rooted in Indigenous knowledge and spirituality, offers a powerful framework to heal degraded landscapes and restore balance on critical biomes. Land is the connecting thread between biodiversity, climate, and livelihoods. I commend the leadership of countries like Brazil and look forward to Colombia’s upcoming global dialogue on desertification as another step in building that future together,” Meza emphasized. She highlighted the role of Mongolia as host and presidency of the upcoming UNCCD COP17 in 2025, with a focus on the role of pastoralists and rangelands.

Andrea Meza, Deputy Executive Secretary, UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD)

Regarding the works at the CBD level, “The establishment of the subsidiary body under Article 8(j) is a landmark achievement for Indigenous Peoples globally,” affirmed Q’apaj Conde, Associate Programme Management Officer, UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), “This new mechanism, which will hold its first session in Panama, is tasked with developing policy guidance for Targets 2 and 3 of the Global Biodiversity Framework, ensuring that ecosystem restoration and protected areas truly reflect Indigenous governance. Biocentric restoration, grounded in Indigenous cosmovision, is essential to restoring ecosystems in ways that honor life in all its forms.” 

Q’apaj Conde, Associate Programme Management Officer, UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

What is the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme?

Launched with initial pilot projects in India, Thailand, Peru, and Ecuador, the Global Programme on Indigenous Peoples’ biocentric restoration now operates in seven countries, engaging over 1,500 Indigenous individuals and planting more than 260,000 plants across dozens of restoration sites—with up to 170 species in a single project. These efforts contribute directly to the UNCCD Land Degradation Neutrality targets, the CBD Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the UNFCCC Paris Agreement, and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

Yon Fernández de Larrrinoa, Head of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, explained the genesis of the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration and the relevance of this global programme “Indigenous Peoples are the best guardians of biodiversity, but for too long they’ve been excluded from restoration efforts. The Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme was born in 2018. That moment sparked our commitment to shift the paradigm to center restoration on Indigenous ancestral knowledge and values. Thanks to initial seed funding from Germany, the programme began with pilot projects in Peru, Ecuador, India, and Thailand, and has now expanded to seven countries, including a national plan in Costa Rica and plans in Brazil, Bolivia, Peru and starting work in Nepal”, he explained. “But this is not about simply planting trees. Biocentric restoration revives the lost memory of territories, it begins with spiritual ceremonies, community consent, and the leadership of traditional authorities. It’s about cosmogony, about identity, and about restoring the living connection between people and place.” 

Yon Fernández de Larrrinoa, Head of the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit

He emphasized the support of donors, including Spain (AECID), Germany (GIZ), Norway, Canada, New Zealand and recently, the United Kingdom through Aim4Forests. “Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration is not just about restoring trees on a row, it is about supporting Indigenous Peoples to restore and recover their knowledge, which is also fundamental to address biodiversity loss.”

Experiences from the field: Bolivia, Nepal and Ecuador

The second session, focused on national experiences from Bolivia and Ecuador, included the presentation from Flavio Merlo Maydana, Mayor of Tiahuanaco in Bolivia who stressed that “No development plan (whether industrial or economic) can succeed without care for the environment,” he stated. “In our communities, ancestral knowledge teaches us to observe nature closely: when birds nest, when plants flower, that’s when we know how and when to plant. We use native medicinal plants for both humans and animals. With FAO, we are establishing forest nurseries and water reservoirs to regenerate our lands. But more than that, we are preparing to launch education centers to pass this knowledge on to the next generation, because Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration is not only about reforestation, it’s about rebuilding our relationship with the Earth.”

Flavio Merlo Maydana, Mayor of Tiahuanaco in Bolivia

“The Indigenous Biocentric Restoration workshop in Nepal was transformative,” said Ganga Devi Gurung, of the Gurung Indigenous Peoples’ community, executive member of NIDS and who attended the latest exchange of knowledge on Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration hosted by Nepal. “It reconnected me with my ancestral roots and inspired a renewed commitment to involve our communities in healing our lands. Experiencing the ‘Schools of Life’ firsthand, where elders and youth exchange knowledge, showed me the power of intergenerational learning. The international experiences shared, especially those from Brazil, Ecuador, and India, gave me concrete tools to adapt the biocentric approach to the realities of Indigenous Peoples in Nepal. This is more than methodology; it is a spiritual and cultural awakening.”

Ganga Devi Gurung, of the Gurung Indigenous community, executive member of the National Institute of Development Studies (NIDS) of Nepal

Pablo Izquierdo, Technical Officer of the Regional Office for Latin America of the International Network of Bamboo and Ratan (INBAR), shared the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration experience in Napo province, Ecuador, in collaboration with the Kichwa community. He emphasized that the project began with “Schools of Life” as non-institutional spaces where elders, women, and youth exchanged knowledge. “These sessions, held in fields and community houses rather than formal buildings, enabled the identification of plants and restoration sites, as well as the setup of nurseries. We reported 152 plant species that were selected by Indigenous Peoples for restoration, many of which held spiritual and nutritional significance”. He described how bamboo was reintroduced, including its traditional use in food preparation. He concluded by praising the inclusive and community-led nature of the process, which relied on Indigenous Peoples’ governance and ecological knowledge. 

Pablo Izquierdo, Technical Officer of the Regional Office for Latin America of the International Network of Bamboo and Ratan (INBAR)

Shakira Deyanira Andy, Indigenous leader from the Kichwa People of the Ecuadorian Amazon, who led the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration activities in Ecuador, alongside with FAO and INBAR, shared her Indigenous Peoples community’s experience, “Schools of Life are a community spaces where ancestral knowledge is interwoven with present-day practices. These schools enable our elders to transmit values, spirituality, restoration techniques, and medicinal plant knowledge to the youth”. Shakira highlighted the creation of community nurseries and the careful selection of native species, particularly bamboo, for its ecological benefits and cultural relevance. 

Shakira Deyanira Andy, Indigenous leader from the Kichwa People in the Ecuadorian Amazon

The workshop emphasized the programme’s interconnected focus on cultural heritage, spiritual renewal, biodiversity regeneration, and food sovereignty. At its heart, it is about reclaiming the memory of the land and restoring its vitality through Indigenous Peoples’ cosmovision.

“For us, biocentric restoration is a commitment, a living life plan that unites humans, non-humans, respecting our spirituality,” declared Iran Neves Ordônio, Indigenous leader from the Xukuru People of Brazil and member of the Indigenous organization Colectivo Jupago Kreka, “Our territory is not separate from who we are, it is our body, our soul, and our history. Restoration is not only ecological; it is spiritual, political, educational, and poetic. It begins with ceremonies, with dialogue with the spirits, and with the understanding that all life is interconnected. It is time to recognize the sacred right of nature to exist, to breathe, and to flourish alongside us.”

Iran Neves Ordônio, Indigenous leader from the Xukuru People of Brazil

Participatory Indigenous-led monitoring system for Indigenous Peoples’ biocentric restoration

Fabricio Brugnago, technical specialist on monitoring and Indigenous Peoples from the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, introduced the monitoring system developed in collaboration with Indigenous Peoples’ communities and organizations in Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, India and Nepal. He explained that the goal was not just to track numbers and charts but to “monitor life” by capturing ecological knowledge through digital tools. Young Indigenous members use mobile apps to record data on species, nurseries, and ecosystem health integrating modern technology with ancestral knowledge. Monitoring includes georeferenced data, species tagging, plant mortality, seed collection sites, and observations on pollinators and phenology. The system feeds into dashboards that communities themselves use for decision-making and planning. Brugnago stressed that this participatory process helps shift monitoring from external reporting to internal learning and ecosystem care, ensuring that biocentric restoration stays grounded in Indigenous Peoples’ realities and values.

Fabricio Brugnago, technical specialist on monitoring and Indigenous Peoples from the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit

“This isn’t just about charts and graphs, it’s about empowering communities to make informed decisions about their own territories. Biocentric restoration is not just a method, it is a worldview. And when monitoring becomes a tool for internal learning and intergenerational transmission, it stays true to the values and rhythms of Indigenous life,” Brugnago stated.

From the local to the global: the connection between the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration and the global commitments at the three Rio Conventions and the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration

Julian Fox, Team Leader on Forest Monitoring and Data Platforms of the Forestry Division (NFO) at FAO, reflected on how Indigenous-led restoration complements global frameworks and how it is connected with tools such as Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM), developed under the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration and now adopted under Target 2 of the CBD “What we’re seeing with Indigenous-led biocentric restoration is the alignment of ecosystem restoration and food systems transformation. These efforts bring together food systems, biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and spiritual governance, all in one integrated approach. Under the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, FAO launched the Framework for Ecosystem Restoration Monitoring (FERM), now aligned with Target 2 of the Global Biodiversity Framework. But these global tools must connect with Indigenous local realities. The Indigenous Peoples Unit is showing us how, through community dashboards, participatory mapping, and indicators that reflect the lived experience of Indigenous territories. This is not just alignment, it’s leadership.”

Julian Fox, Team Leader on Forest Monitoring and Data Platforms of the Forestry Division (NFO) at FAO

Regarding the role of the UNCCD in supporting Indigenous-led restoration actions, Marcos Montoiro, External Relations Officer of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) Secretariat emphasized “Indigenous Peoples are not only partners in restoration, they are leaders of transformation. This is what the UNCCD, our recent COP decision to elevate Indigenous Peoples’ participation in governance is a foundational step. We are also advancing collaboration among the three Rio Conventions (CBD, UNCCD, and UNFCCC) to ensure Indigenous Peoples’ land practices are reflected in global goals, including Land Degradation Neutrality. We must especially recognize the role of pastoralist communities and other traditional stewards. COP17 in Mongolia will be a crucial platform to deepen this work and ensure Indigenous Peoples’ voices shape the future of land restoration.”

Marcos Montoiro, External Relations Officer at the UNCCD Secretariat

Pablo J. Innecken, Technical Officer for Free, Prior and Informed Consent at the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, explained how the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration is connecting the dots between the Indigenous-led restoration actions at a local level, with the global commitments, “Indigenous Peoples are indispensable to achieving the core targets of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. Their territories, governed by ancestral knowledge, offer the clearest pathway to fulfill Target 2 on restoration, Target 3 on protected areas and sustainable use, and Target 10 on transforming food systems toward sustainability”, he explained. “These same territories are also at the heart of critical biomes facing degradation, making Indigenous-led stewardship essential to realizing the Land Degradation Neutrality Targets under the UNCCD. Indigenous Peoples’ lands demonstrate that conservation and sustainable use are not conflicting goals, they coexist harmoniously, and this is the hearth of the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme.”

Pablo J. Innecken, Technical Officer for Free, Prior and Informed Consent at the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit

Closing the circle: Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems, ecosystem restoration and biocentrism

Lucy Mulenkei, Co-chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB), summarized the main outcomes achieved during the workshop “This has been more than a workshop, it has been a collective moment of truth,” she said. “Indigenous Peoples’ communities already manage their lands in sustainable, interconnected ways. We don’t separate food, land, and life, they are all one. The FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit is helping bridge global policies with community-rooted practices, and that is exactly what we need. Restoration must be holistic and inclusive. Indigenous Peoples are not just stakeholders, we are rightsholders, knowledge holders, and solution providers. The time has come to put our stories and practices at the center of biodiversity and climate action.”

Lucy Mulenkei, Co-chair of the International Indigenous Forum on Biodiversity (IIFB)

Kaveh Zahedi, Director of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment of the FAO, closed the event thanking all participants and attendees and highlighting the importance of the workshop, “What struck me throughout this workshop is that, as a first critical point, Indigenous Peoples never separate climate, biodiversity, or food systems: they live and restore holistically. For generations, they’ve practiced what we now call a ‘food systems approach,’ and the real challenge is for our institutions to catch up and align with that integrated vision,” he stated. 

“A second critical point is the need to make Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge systems, especially the intangible, spiritual, and cultural dimensions, visible and valued, not just in policy, but also in monitoring, investment, and scaling strategies. Finally, restoration, as Indigenous Peoples remind us, is not simply about planting trees or reviving land. It’s about restoring memory, identity, tradition, and the sacred bond with territory. FAO is committed to growing this Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration movement with Indigenous partners, from local pilots to a global transformation.”

The Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme offers a blueprint for the future, one that bridges ancestral wisdom and modern sustainability goals, ensuring that people and the planet flourish together. Indigenous Peoples Biocentric Restoration closes the circle to ensure the sustainability and continuation of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems. Restoring knowledge alongside with ecosystems is the way to go.