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Indigenous Peoples

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From the 2021 White/Wiphala Paper to the 2026-2027 CFS on Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems

A Statement by the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems

26 November, 2025

The Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems held its third in-person meeting at FAO headquarters within the Indigenous Peoples’ Territory, on 13-17 October 2025. About 150 experts from 23 Universities and research centers, 5 international and inter-regional networks, about 50 Indigenous and non-Indigenous organizations, 4 UN participated in the meeting, out of which 75 were involved in the technical discussions and joint forums. Twenty-one member institutions of the Global-Hub were represented. In total, it is estimated that about 500 people followed daily the side events, advocacy activities and tent talks organized in the margins of the third in person Session of the Global-Hub. Several experts from FAO, UN, Academia, FAO Members, joined some of the Global-Hub technical discussions, joint for a special events and Advocacy sessions.

The Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems is an innovative and strategic thinktank, spearheading intercultural co-creation of knowledge to advance policy discussions on Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems. Created in 2018 following the First High-Level expert Seminar on Indigenous Peoples Food Systems organized at FAO, the Global-Hub was then endorsed by FAO Members at the 27th Committee on Agriculture in 2020. The Global-Hub considers oral knowledge as much as written, and values Indigenous Peoples’ science at the same level as academic science. The spirit of respect for Indigenous Peoples science and relevance of oral knowledge, informed the drafting of the 2021 White/Whipala paper on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, a true game-changer for scientists to better understand Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems.

The Global-Hub’s strategic work through the White/Wiphala paper, provided in 2021 an alternative to the dominant narratives on food systems surrounding the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS). Along with the Rome Group of Friends of Indigenous Peoples, the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems made possible the inclusion of an Agenda item dedicated to Indigenous Peoples food and knowledge systems in the 2024-2027 Multi-year programme of work of the World Committee on Food Security (CFS).

In 2025, the Global-Hub has continued enlarging its membership with key organizations, becoming is a strategic thinktank for discussions that bridges the gaps of knowledge between disciplines, cosmovisions, epistemologies, research, and technical agendas. The evidence generated on the sustainability and resilience of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems recognizes that the holistic nature of those systems is rooted in their relationality and understanding of ecosystems.

On 13-17 October 2025, the Global-Hub reaffirmed that its working ethics align with Indigenous Peoples’ values of peace, reciprocity, caring, sharing and solidarity. Each of these values was a guiding theme throughout the week, and one value was honoured for each day of the five-day forum. The Global-Hub aligns firmly and in solidarity with the words of wisdom shared by Indigenous elders and leaders, stating that food should not be used as a weapon of war, but as a bearer of peace. Finally, the Global-Hub reaffirmed that its mandate to generate evidence with Indigenous and non-Indigenous Peoples centers intercultural co-creation principles and values at the heart of its work.
The Global-Hub gratefully welcomes the guidance and advice provided by the Council of Elders that joined its third in-person meeting. The Global-Hub takes this opportunity to invite the Council of Elders to participate at its fourth in-person meeting scheduled for 2026.

The week hosted about 40 sessions, including a series of closed-door sessions dedicated to the work of the ongoing drafting committees and the development of the 2025-2027 Action Plan, which includes new drafting committees.
Following the requests received from different actors and the interest to interact with the Global-Hub experts, the meeting hosted three joint fora with the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum, the Science and Innovation Forum, and the Rome Water Dialogue; and three special sessions, on ultra-processed foods with the Food and Nutrition Division, on Indigenous Peoples and the Commission on genetic resources, and with the UNCCD in the context of the
International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists. The Global-Hub also hosted a flagship event on the Right to food and Indigenous Peoples’ notions of poverty with the FAO Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division. The Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems stands ready to technically support the work within these global policy and implementation processes.

During the third in-person meeting, the Global-Hub has agreed on an 2025-2027 Action Plan, which includes the creation of four drafting committees, on (1) Indigenous Peoples and social protection, on (2) Indigenous Peoples and carbon markets, on (3) the Impacts of conservation policies on Indigenous Peoples, and on (4) labelling and certification schemes for Indigenous Peoples’ foods. Furthermore the Action Plan includes continued commitments to strengthen
the ongoing work of the existing stream of work to (1) support global policy processes, and 9 drafting committees on (1) Indigenous Peoples and food security, (2) ocean and freshwater based Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, (3) ultra-processed foods and impacts on Indigenous Peoples, (4) food composition, (5) food and knowledge systems of Indigenous hunter gatherers, (5) guidelines on co-creation of knowledge and ethical engagement with Indigenous Peoples, (6) Indigenous Peoples and notions of poverty, (7) Collective paper on mobility (9) UN decade of restoration and Indigenous Peoples’ biocentric restoration. Finally, the Global-Hub reaffirms its commitment to work closely with Indigenous Youth in the context of the Rome Declaration on Safeguarding Seven Generations in Times of Food, Social and Ecological Crisis and the 2021 Indigenous Youth Global Declaration on Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems.
Through the Action Plan, the Global-Hub is aiming to release eleven publications within 2025- 2027, including on:

  1. Indigenous Peoples and social protection
  2. Impacts of conservation policies on Indigenous Peoples
  3. Indigenous Peoples and food security
  4. Ocean and freshwater-based Indigenous Peoples’ food systems
  5. Impacts of ultra-processed foods on Indigenous Peoples
  6. Preserving Indigenous Peoples’ values and rights in food composition programmes
  7. Sustainability and resilience of the food systems of Indigenous hunter-gatherers
  8. Guidelines on knowledge co-creation and ethical engagement with Indigenous Peoples
  9. Indigenous Peoples: From discrimination and marginalization to inclusive, meaningful, and effective participation.
  10. Collective paper on mobility within Indigenous Peoples' strategies for food, livelihoods and territoriality, and its importance for biodiversity conservation
  11. Manual on Indigenous Peoples biocentric restoration

The Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food and Knowledge Systems remains committed to its technical work and intercultural co-creation processes to organize evidence with

Indigenous and non-Indigenous experts that support FAO Members carrying informed policy discussions.
In particular, the Global-Hub remains available to provide evidence -based advice to the Rome Group of Friends and any policy discussions at FAO and beyond related to food, agriculture and genetic resources, agrifood systems, nutrition, fishing, forestry, biodiversity, climate change, rural transformation, science and innovation, land tenure and others.