Need

Indigenous Knowledge (IK) is vital for Food Systems since it adds diversity, enhances nutrition, improves immune and health, has environmentally sound practices that are resilient to risks and disasters, and is climate sensitive.

However, IK is widely scattered, at times, exists in small pockets; much of the IK is transferred through practices and not well-documents. As younger generations migrate to urban areas, hardly transfers old to next-generation, fewer and fewer people know about IK or are often completely lost. In addition, development pressure and changing climate is posing a threat to the habitats or ecosystems that dwells indigenous people and systems.

Therefore, there is an urgent need of capturing the food system-specific components of IK. These include food systems, diversity, nutrition and traditional medicines, cultivation practices, food handling, storage and processing, and how they are resilient to disasters, climate change, and harmony with Nature.

The IKRI will complement and contribute to the Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems led by the FAO.