The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, through the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Programme, will organise the International Symposium on Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems and Family Farming from 18th to 20th of October 2021. 

The Symposium will focus on how the main features of GIAHS sites and the UN Decade of Family Farming action plan can jointly strengthen the multidimensionality of family farming.

The following topics will be addressed:

1. Significance of family farmers and UNDFF
2. Experience sharing of GIAHS sites as to the multidimensionality of family farmers such as:  

• safeguard of biodiversity, environment, culture and local community
• sustainability of food systems and agroecosystems
• landscape and resource management
• transmission of local traditional knowledge, cultures and social values.   

        3. How the GIAHS approach can contribute to UNDFF and its Action Plan.

The event will welcome speakers from family farmers’ associations as well as several testimonies by GIAHS site representatives. It is targeted to farmers and their associations, stakeholders of UN Decade of Family Farming, GIAHS sites stakeholders, policymakers and government officers, researchers, NGOs and relevant officers of FAO, IFAD and other UN agencies. 

The outcomes of the Symposium will include an improved understanding of the importance of family farming, of the United Nations Decade of Family Farming and of the GIAHS Programme and how the latter can promote family farming by identifying effective measures and actions as well as supporting governance instruments.

The event is funded by the Japanese Trust Fund Project to support the International Activities for Sustainable Family Farming through the GIAHS Programme.

Event webpage: here.

Registration link here.

Agenda: here.

Related links:

• Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems
• Family Farming Knowledge Platform
• UN Decade of Family Farming