Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge at the heart of mountain resilience

Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems hold vital lessons for building climate-resilient mountain communities. This was the key message of a joint event organized by the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems and the Mountain Partnership Secretariat (MPS) during the World Food Forum 2025 at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) headquarters in Rome.  

Titled “The essential role of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems in mountain regions”, the event emphasized that sustainable mountain development and climate adaptation depend on the active inclusion of Indigenous Peoples, especially Indigenous Youth, as partners and leaders. 

Set around an open fire in the Sámi Indigenous Nomadic tent, an Indigenous Peoples’ territory in the heart of Rome, the session created space for dialogue between Indigenous Peoples’ representatives, FAO experts, youth and mountain advocates. Moderated by Laura Ciacci, FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, and Stefania Corrado, MPS, the discussion explored how Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge can help communities adapt to climate change while preserving cultural identity. 
 
Opening the session, Yon Fernandez de Larrinoa, Head of FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Unit, FAO, highlighted that mountain communities and ecosystems are in most pressing situation of vulnerability to the climate crisis. He warned that Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems are at risk of disappearing due to climate change, land degradation and biodiversity loss.  

Veronica Gomez, Alternate Permanent Representative of Ecuador to the United Nations Agencies in Rome, emphasized that Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme and Indigenous Peoples’ deep understanding of ecological balance provide critical lessons for the global community, making their inclusion a prerequisite for sustainable mountain development. 

Speakers called for a shift from consultation to meaningful partnership and collaboration, placing Indigenous Peoples not at the margins of policy and development conversations, but at their centre. 

Ken Shimizu, FAO Country Representative for Bhutan and Nepal, noted that environmental degradation and limited opportunities drive youth migration from mountain areas. He mentioned a recent collaboration with Bhutanese artisans and designer Stella Jean under the MPS’ Fashion for Fragile Ecosystems initiative as an example of how traditional craftsmanship can support livelihoods and promote innovative entrepreneurship in mountain areas. 
 
Giorgio Grussu, MPS, emphasized the global importance of mountains, particularly their crucial role in water supply and the serious global risk posed by the melting of glaciers. He reaffirmed the MPS’ support for small-scale mountain producers. He also highlighted the Mountain Partnership’s efforts to enhance the sustainability of mountain economies through initiatives such as product labelling, business incubation and ethical fashion collaborations, that connect Indigenous Peoples’ agricultural producers and artisans with markets that recognize the added value of mountain products, in full alignment with Indigenous Peoples’ rights. Participants shared examples of community-led solutions demonstrating how Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge fosters innovation and resilience.  

From Uganda, Beatrice Kabihogo, Uplift the Rural Poor, described how nature-based enterprises such as beekeeping restore degraded ecosystems while generating income. “In Uganda, it is not too late to refill our granaries. By working together to revive traditional and ancestral knowledge, we can build resilient food systems and bring abundance back to our mountain communities”. David Koskei, an Indigenous Youth from Kenya, spoke about youth engagement in forest protection through initiatives like the Save Mau Forest project, which bridges intergenerational knowledge and community action.  

From Peru, Mari Guay, Centro CINDES, underscored the urgent need to safeguard ancestral knowledge of native, water-harvesting tree species, while Maedeh Salimi, CENESTA, Islamic Republic of Iran, explained that Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge is dynamic but depends on communities retaining control over their territories. 

Concluding the session, Nahideh Naghizadeh, FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, called for policy frameworks that strengthen Indigenous Peoples’ governance systems and ensure that youth, women and elders are part of decision-making processes. Participants urged governments and international partners to reflect Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems in global climate and development agendas. 

The future resilience of the world’s mountains depends on recognizing and respecting the knowledge holders and those who have sustained their knowledge systems for generations. By valuing and upholding Indigenous Peoples’ dynamic knowledge and their rights, we can ensure that mountain communities—and the ecosystems they protect—continue to thrive for generations to come.