Strengthening indigenous food systems is key to achieving a world without hunger

Francisco von Hildebrand, CEO of Gaia Amazonas Foundation, participated in a High Level Experts Seminar of Indigenous Food Systems, an event convened by FAO to explore how to take advantage of traditional knowledge to achieve Zero Hunger. Gaia Amazonas has worked in the last decades supporting indigenous food systems in the Colombian Amazon and was invited to participate in the construction of a strategy to protect indigenous practices and knowledge in the world.

 "Indigenous food systems are the key to the ecosystem resilience of the Amazon and the planet, we need to collaborate with indigenous peoples and protect their knowledge and practices in order to jointly build strategies for environmental resilience, conservation and food security. Also, effective decision-making processes urgently need monitoring strategies. "

To see the presentation of Francisco von Hildebrand, clic here visit the minute 53:00

Fact: More than 370 million people are part of the indigenous peoples of the world, they speak more than 4,000 languages ​​and live in 90 countries. Although they occupy 22% of the earth's surface they are custodians of 80% of the planet's biodiversity.

This seminar was attended by indigenous experts from seven regions of the world to analyze the food systems of these peoples. In the event, José Graziano da Silva, FAO General Director, said "FAO considers indigenous and tribal peoples as fundamental actors in the fight against poverty, hunger and all other forms of malnutrition, as well as in the promotion of sustainable agricultural practices. Indigenous food systems and traditional indigenous knowledge have survived thousands of years, so they may have some of the answers we are looking for. "

Seventy panelists from indigenous communities and organizations, and more than 180 attendees from 49 countries exchanged their experiences and knowledge on indigenous food systems. By combining presentations on traditional knowledge and the experience of scientific knowledge, the seminar allowed for an increased understanding of the contributions that indigenous food systems make to the world.

"The loss of biodiversity is also the loss of our identity of our food and medicines," said Taita Ignacio Morales, a traditional healer of the people of Muiska-Piuret in Colombia.

The participants reviewed some of the analytical and field studies conducted over the past year on how indigenous communities around the world generate food and manage the territory and the environment in a sustainable manner. This group was integrated by of the FAO, local indigenous organizations, Biodiversity International, the Center for International Forestry Research, the Resource Institute for Development of France and the Indigenous Association for Sovereignty and Food Security.