Sanya, China – A new phase of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems programme was launched in Sanya, China, marking a step forward in scaling sustainable solutions rooted in sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, traditional knowledge, innovation and resilience.

The Phase II project, funded by the FAO–China South-South Cooperation Programme with an investment of USD 3 million, aims to expand the global network, strengthen national policies and deepen knowledge exchange between agrifood systems that have sustained communities for generations.

Opening the event, FAO Director-General, Qu Dongyu, underscored the importance of scaling proven solutions while continuing to innovate:

“We must scale what works, while continuing to innovate for the future.”

He highlighted that transformation is not only driven by new technologies, but also by learning from existing systems.

In this regard, GIAHS represents a sustainable model, combining centuries of knowledge and culture with evolving agricultural systems rich in biodiversity, supporting food security, livelihoods and rural development, he remarked.

Wei Zhenglin, Acting Director General of the Department of International Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA), underscored the strategic role of the FAO–China South-South Cooperation Programme in advancing the conservation and development of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems.

The second phase of the programme will further position these systems as part of agrifood transformation, ensuring they continue to evolve as living systems contributing to sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, resilience, food security and livelihoods.

But beyond global frameworks and policy discussions, the meaning of these systems is rooted in the lives of communities.

Speaking at the launch, Arpakwa M. Ole Sikorei, representative of the Engaresero Maasai Pastoralist Heritage Area in Tanzania, reminded participants that agricultural heritage is not an abstract concept:

“The communities I represent do not see GIAHS as a label or designation. For them, it is life itself. It is identity. It is responsibility.”

In Engaresero, a Maasai pastoral system shaped by centuries of adaptation, people, livestock and ecosystems are closely interconnected. Mobility, seasonal grazing and shared resource management allow communities to maintain ecological balance while sustaining livelihoods.

For Arpakwa, these systems offer more than continuity — they provide solutions:

“They are not relics of the past; they are living, evolving systems that offer solutions to some of the most urgent challenges we face today.”

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