The Indigenous World 2024: FAO and Indigenous Peoples: Indigenous Youth
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a Specialized Agency of the UN that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and malnutrition. FAO was founded in 1945, and its primary goal is to achieve food security for all by making sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active and healthy lives. With over 194 Members, FAO has offices in over 130 countries worldwide. FAO recognizes Indigenous Peoples as key allies, not only as technical assistance recipients but primarily as equal partners, and as fundamental stakeholders in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Over time, FAO’s work with Indigenous Peoples has evolved to become more progressive and inclusive. For instance, in 2004, the Voluntary Right to Food Guidelines[1] endorsed by the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) emphasized the importance of Indigenous Peoples having access to their lands and resources in order to guarantee their right to food. In 2009, FAO released its first publication[2] dedicated to analysing Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, focused on the many dimensions of culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and health. One year later, in aligning the organization’s work with the 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), FAO called a caucus of Indigenous leaders from the seven sociocultural regions of the world to draft the FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples,[3] which continues to guide FAO’s work with Indigenous Peoples today.
In early 2013, the second FAO publication on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems was released in collaboration with McGill-CINE: Indigenous Peoples’ food systems & well-being. Interventions and policies for healthy communities.[4] In 2014, FAO created a dedicated Indigenous Peoples team which, jointly with a caucus of Indigenous representatives, drafted a work plan that matches Indigenous Peoples’ needs and priorities to FAO’s technical competencies. This resulted in a work plan consisting of two main focus areas: a) Indigenous youth; and b) Indigenous women, and six main pillars: 1) Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems; 2) Free, prior and informed consent; 3) Coordination; 4) Governance of natural resources – collective rights and Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security (VGGTs); 5) Advocacy and Capacity Development; and 6) Indicators for Food Security. In 2017, as requested by the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC), FAO included a seventh pillar of work: 7) Climate change action, resilience and Indigenous Peoples’ traditional knowledge.
In 2021, FAO released its third publication[5] on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, with a focus on insights into sustainability and resilience from the front line of climate change. In the same year, it also published the White/Wiphala Paper on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems,[6] which was drafted and coordinated by the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems. It was acknowledged as a technical reference paper by the Scientific Group of the UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), thereby establishing Indigenous Peoples’ food systems to be recognized as “game-changers” during the UNFSS Pre-summit.
Since 2019, the dedicated unit that guides FAO’s work with Indigenous Peoples has been coordinating a network of more than 40 national and regional focal points on Indigenous Peoples across FAO offices globally, along with the FAO Interdepartmental Working Group on Indigenous Peoples, which gathers together more than 120 technical experts. Indigenous Peoples and FAO have joined forces to contribute to a transformation towards more sustainable food systems. More resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems are a key entry point for accelerating progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, the outcomes of many contemporary food systems fall short of the aspirations of the 2030 Agenda. Indigenous Peoples’ food systems could be considered among the most sustainable on the planet. In this regard, in 2020, during the 27th session of FAO’s Committee on Agriculture (COAG), FAO Members endorsed the creation of a Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems.
Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems
In March 2023, the Global-Hub,[7] a space for the co-creation of knowledge on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, convened its first post-pandemic in-person meeting. With over 80 participants from diverse regions and organization, this gathering laid the groundwork for impactful collaboration. As a result, the Global-Hub’s membership increased from 20 to 31 organizations and also prompted an increase in requests from academics, researchers, and Indigenous organizations to join the collective efforts. This collaborative spirit, extended to the formation of five drafting committees and three working groups, contributed to the finalization of two Wiphala papers and the editing of the Standards of Practice on ecosystem restoration. In particular, a new White/Wiphala paper on mobile Indigenous Peoples, biodiversity preservation and collective rights will be published in 2024.
In this regard, in June 2023, the FAO’s Indigenous Peoples Unit and the Global-Hub participated in the first meeting of the International Expert Consultation on the Resilient and Inclusive Transformation Impact Initiative (RITII).[8] At RITII, it was highlighted that one of the drivers causing the marginalization of Indigenous Peoples’ is the constant pressure from external factors on their territories, lands, and natural resources. In addition, policies are inadequately designed, failing to take into account Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems as key elements for biodiversity restoration and conservation. In this context, the Global-Hub was invited to draft a technical paper entitled “Indigenous Peoples: From discrimination and marginalization to inclusion in a meaningful and effective way”, to bring attention to the specifics that pertain to Indigenous Peoples when it comes to the design, implementation and monitoring of development policies and projects.
In addition, the Global-Hub presented two additional research papers: “Impacts of the Energy transition on Indigenous Peoples and their territories worldwide”, authored by the Centre for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North (CSIPN); and “Impacts of the implementation of conservation policies on Indigenous Peoples and their territories worldwide”, authored by the Pastoralists Indigenous Non Governmental Organization's Forum (PINGO's Forum).
II Session of the Biennial UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum
Indigenous youth are the present and future guardians of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems as well as their cosmogony, culture and language. Their connection with territories, land and natural resources is more important than ever to ensure the continuation of their knowledge and food systems for future generations. At the same time, Indigenous youth are the most affected by conflict, violence, forced displacement and land grabbing. To address these challenges and highlight the importance of their role in the context of climate action and biodiversity conservation, FAO hosted the II Session of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum (UNGIYF)[9] in October 2023.
Following a 2019 joint UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA) / UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) recommendation, the FAO has been working with the Global Indigenous Youth Caucus (GIYC) to put together a dedicated UN Forum for Indigenous Youth. The first session of this biennial UNGIYF took place in 2021, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, where 163 Indigenous youth came together to draft a Declaration on Indigenous Youth and Food.
In October 2023, for the first time in history, 186 Indigenous youth from all seven sociocultural regions travelled in person to gather at FAO headquarters for a week and discuss the issues affecting Indigenous youth, their food and knowledge systems with UN organizations, Member States, academia and other stakeholders. This session of the UNGIYF took place inside an Indigenous territory created in a Sámi nomadic tent installed and managed by the Association of World Reindeer Herders - Indigenous FoodLab.
The Forum’s discussions revolved around the policies and decisions affecting the future of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems, climate and biodiversity action, the impact of ultra-processed foods and pesticides on Indigenous Peoples’ health, the safeguarding of Indigenous Peoples’ plant genetic resources, and Indigenous-led education. The discussions gave shape to the “Rome Declaration on Safeguarding Future Generations in times of Food, Social, and Ecological Crisis”,[10] which was officially introduced at the 51st Session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) and officially launched during a dedicated event at COP 28 in Dubai, UAE.
The declaration, endorsed by five of the seven regions, focused on the policies and actions necessary for the present and future of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems. Central to it is the symbolic number seven, deeply rooted in the cosmovisions of Indigenous Peoples. Seven is the number of the messages delivered to the world by Indigenous youth, serving as a bridge between the last seven generations that have endured and the next seven, which hopefully will have a prosperous future:
- “We are the next generation”: Indigenous youth commit to preserving traditional knowledge, emphasizing the need for supportive regulatory and policy frameworks.
- “We must have land, water, and biodiversity security”: Acknowledging the fundamental role of lands and waters in Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems, the declaration stresses the essentiality of recognition and land tenure security.
- “We must be free from cultural genocide”: Urging an end to the introduction of harmful chemicals and wanton extractivism, disrupting Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems, causing irreparable damage and displacement.
- “We must prevent green colonialism”: Emphasizing that sustainable practices must respect Indigenous Peoples' rights, the declaration calls for a halt to practices that harm Indigenous communities under the guise of sustainability.
- “We must be free from violence”: Rejecting all forms of violence – be it physical, cultural, or territorial – the declaration underscores the immediate harm and impediment to realizing inherent rights caused by such acts.
- “We must safeguard our food systems, our health, and mental health”: Highlighting the adverse effects of ultra-processed foods, the declaration champions traditional food and knowledge systems as the pathway to holistic nourishment, spiritual well-being, and mental health.
- “We must not be subject to biopiracy; there must be measures to protect Indigenous biocultural intellectual property”: Stating that Indigenous knowledge benefits society at large, the declaration calls for robust safeguards to ensure equitable participation and prevent unjust exploitation.
In addition, the GIYC drew inspiration for the declaration from the “My Food Vision Is…” campaign.[11] This campaign, launched by the GIYC in 2022, highlights the challenges faced by Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems while promoting sustainable solutions. The declaration, crafted by GIYC leadership alongside the seven sociocultural regions, will serve as a beacon for policy recommendations and action on all platforms.
Coalition on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems
At the global level, the Global-Hub plays a crucial role in supporting the Coalition on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems[12] to provide technical backstopping. This collaboration strengthens the coalition’s strategic work and addresses requests from countries and Indigenous Peoples’ organizations.
In fact, the Coalition, founded in 2021, gained momentum in 2023 with the addition of five new countries. Expanding to 12 FAO Members (Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Dominican Republic, Finland, Spain, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Lesotho, Panama), six UN organizations, and several Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, the coalition drafted a comprehensive workplan for implementation in 2024. A remarkable milestone is the inclusion of a thematic area in the CFS Multi-Year Programme of Work 2024-2027 on preserving, strengthening, and promoting Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems and traditional practices for sustainable food systems.
Meanwhile, although their knowledge and food systems can serve as solutions to the triple crisis of biodiversity loss, climate change and food security that humanity is facing, the environmental funds are not reaching them. This is why the FAO and Indigenous Peoples have joined forces through the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration (ongoing projects in India, Peru, Ecuador, Thailand, Costa Rica, Paraguay, Colombia, and Brazil). This Indigenous-led approach incorporates Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems and their rights as key elements for biodiversity restoration, revolutionizing conventional restoration approaches. FAO aims to ensure that we move from recognizing the relevance of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems in preserving biodiversity to concrete action that bridges the gap between evidence and inclusive policy-making.
This chapter was written by the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit, under the coordination of Yon Fernández-de-Larrinoa and Anne Brunel. Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
This article is part of the 38th edition of The Indigenous World, a yearly overview produced by IWGIA that serves to document and report on the developments Indigenous Peoples have experienced. The photo above is of an Indigenous man harvesting quinoa in Sunimarka, Peru. This photo was taken by Pablo Lasansky, and is the cover of The Indigenous World 2024 where this article is featured. Find The Indigenous World 2024 in full here
Notes and references
[1] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “Voluntary guidelines to support the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security.” Rome, 2005. https://www.fao.org/3/y7937e/y7937e.pdf
[2] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “Indigenous Peoples’ food systems: the many dimensions of culture, diversity and environment for nutrition and health.” Rome, 2009. https://www.fao.org/3/i0370e/i0370e.pdf
[3] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples.” Rome, 2010. https://www.fao.org/3/i1857e/i1857e00.pdf
[4] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “Indigenous Peoples’ food systems & well-being.” Rome, 2013. https://www.fao.org/3/i3144e/i3144e00.htm
[5] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “Indigenous Peoples’ food systems: Insights on sustainability and resilience from the front line of climate change.” Rome, 2021. https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en?details=cb5131en/
[6] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). The White/Wiphala Paper on Indigenous Peoples’ food systems.” 2021. https://www.fao.org/policy-support/tools-and-publications/resources-details/en/c/1455115/
[7] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “The Global-hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems.” https://www.fao.org/indigenous-peoples/global-hub/en/
[8] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “Governance of tenure newsletter - May 2023.” 4 May 2023. https://www.fao.org/tenure/newsletters/detail-events/en/c/1638313/#anchor-point1
[9] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum (UNGIYF).” https://www.fao.org/indigenous-peoples/ungiyf/en/
[10] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “A call at COP 28, echoing the initiatives of the UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum (UNGIYF).” 10 December 2023. https://www.fao.org/indigenous-peoples/news-article/en/c/1673053/
[11] Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). “Launch of the Indigenous Youth Campaign ‘My food vision is…’.” 18 October 2022. https://www.fao.org/indigenous-peoples/news-article/en/c/1616734/
[12] In 2021, as a result of the UN Food Systems Summit, the first-ever global Coalition on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems, chaired by the president of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues, was launched at FAO headquarters in Rome. Seven FAO Members and seven Indigenous Peoples from each of the seven sociocultural regions of the world called with urgency to join forces to respect, preserve and promote Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems as game-changers for the benefit of all of humanity.
Tags: Youth, Global governance, Human rights, International Processes
