10/28/2024

Protecting biodiversity through indigenous and local solutions

An old black man holds a small axe in his right hand. With his left hand he is holding on to a staff. — Ramoma Pierre - first heritage holder of Ambondrombe scared forest.

Inclusive and active participation of Indigenous Peoples and local communities is vital in achieving biodiversity targets and addressing interlinked global crises

Indigenous peoples and local communities (IPs and LCs) have been formally recognised as key actors in nature conservation by the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) since 2008. In 2022, the CBD adopted the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF), which acknowledges IPs and LCs as key actors in reversing biodiversity loss and adapting to and mitigating climate change.

The areas conserved by IPs and LCs, known as ICCAs or territories of life, are cradles of biological and cultural diversity and crucial for all life on Earth. Despite this recognition in the international fora, there is still a lack of recognition at national and local levels of the crucial role of IPs and LCs in implementing biodiversity targets.

Since 2014, the Global Support Initiative to territories and areas conserved by Indigenous Peoples and local communities (ICCA-GSI) has been addressing the lack of recognition of IPs and LCs, their rights and their valuable contribution to biodiversity conservation. The ICCA-GSI is a multi-partnership initiative that is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) through the GEF Small Grants Programme (SGP) delivery mechanism with funding from the International Climate Initiative (IKI).

ICCA-GSI: more than 600 community-based projects in 45 countries

The inclusive and active participation of IPs and LCs has been key to the successful implementation of 655 community-based projects in Phase 1 of the ICCA-GSI. The projects were initially implemented in 26 countries from 2014-2022 to promote the overall effectiveness of ICCAs, and were expanded to 45 countries from 2020-2024 in the ICCA-GSI COVID-19 response initiative as part of the BMUV’s IKI Corona Response Package to help IPs and LCs cope with and recover from this new challenge. The work of the ICCA-GSI will continue under its Phase 2 (late 2024/early 2025-2028) in 50 countries to increase recognition of IPs and LCs towards achieving Targets 3, 21,22 and 23 of the GBF.

The self-identified priorities of IPs and LCs have guided the initiatives to address different site-specific threats. A range of project activities have been used to achieve legal support for ICCA recognition and conservation, ecosystem protection, resilience to climate change impacts, sustainable livelihoods, poverty reduction, protection of traditional knowledge and recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, over 11.3 million hectares of indigenous and community territories have been positively impacted, benefiting over 1.9 million IPs and LCs, 52% of whom are women. A 20% increase in income has also been reported due to recovery measures in the COVID-19 response initiative.

Secured land rights in Madagascar

Rice terraces with growing plants — Water management for rice production in Madagascar.

In Madagascar, traditional governance systems have been recognised by the Malagasy government and the land rights of IPs and LCs have been secured through direct financial and technical support to 154,585 people living in ICCAs across central Madagascar. Trainings on land transfer mechanisms enabled IPs to enter into discussions with government authorities on their self-determined priorities and the valorisation of biocultural diversity in their ICCAs. In return, land rights were secured as the government signed 63 ‘transfer of management’ contracts covering 135,824 hectares of land in ICCAs.

Territorial mapping according to land-use and the revival of lost customary conservation practices also l stronger governance, improved intergenerational transfer of traditional knowledge and a 30% increase in food production. In addition, in acknowledgment of successful indigenous methods, the government and Malagasy indigenous peoples now have joint work plans and shared management responsibilities to restore degraded areas in the Tapia forests - a government-protected area and the last standing primary forest in the central Malagasy highlands. These new partnerships exemplify the equitable, inclusive, and effective involvement of IPs and LCs in decision-making on nature conservation and biodiversity, contributing to Target 22 of the GBF.

ICCA-GSI supported Wampís Nation to register their territory as an ICCA

Wooded slopes. There is a large river in the centre of the picture. — Wampís Nation Forest

In Peru, the Wampís Nation was able to assess the value of their forests and highlight the critical role their forests play in climate change mitigation and water providing for three Andean countries with ICCA-GSI direct access to finance. The Wampís Nation has lived in the Amazon forest for over 7,000 years and protects over 1.3 million hectares of the world’s largest tropical forest within the borders of Peru. For decades, Wampís Nation have defended their forests against extractive industries. With technical assistance they produced a report highlighting that the forests they protect help mitigate climate change impacts by storing 522 million tonnes of carbon, and capturing 57 million tonnes of carbon per annum.

In addition, the evapotranspiration of an estimated 34.5 billion litres of water, which occurs daily in Wampís forests contributes to rainfall patterns and water supply in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. This underlines that the Wampís struggle transcends borders, helping to preserve global environmental services through the stewardship and guardians of local lands. The Wampís have also successfully registered their 1.3-million-hectare territory as an ICCA within the World Database of Protected Areas and the Global ICCA Registry, and are now included in the global count of protected areas, contributing to Target 3 of the GBF.

Documentation of traditional medicine in Senegal and Kenya

In the wake of the global COVID-19 pandemic, traditional medicine has once again become more important than ever for IPs and LCs. However, documentation of the full range of traditional medical practices is however lacking, as traditional knowledge is passed down orally from generation to generation and is largely held only by traditional medicine practitioners (TMPs). Therefor, projects in most ICCA-GSI participating countries worked with TMPs to document and disseminate on the proper use of medicinal plants. In Senegal, a 'Répertoire des Plantes Medicinales' was developed to provide an ethnobotanical analysis of a full range of plants identified for various diseases and ailments, and newly tested ones to address COVID-19 health-related issues. The Senegalese government also used the directory, drawing on traditional knowledge to find solutions during the pandemic. The English version has been made available to share traditional medicine knowledge and innovations from IPs and LCs with a wider audience including health professionals, NGOs, community-based organisations, academia, and other local and national authorities, contributing to Target 21 of the GBF.

Increased awareness and recognition of traditional medicine has also been achieved in Kenya, where over-exploitation of medicinal plant resources and biopiracy have often been widespread. Building upon a series of partnerships in cataloguing traditional medicinal plants, in providing access to clean and affordable renewable energy, and in forging partnerships with government authorities, traditional knowledge is now increasingly being integrated into national initiatives. For example, the Ogiek people’s knowledge and use of medicinal herbs, has been incorporated in the Documentation and Digitisation of Indigenous Traditional Knowledge Programme of the National Museums of Kenya. The increased recognition of traditional knowledge contributes to Target 21 of the GBF while access to clean and affordable energy contributes to SDG 7.

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