Traditional Knowledge Information Portal

Key messages

• Healthy, vibrant communities are necessary to maintain and restore healthy, productive and resilient ecosystems.
• Mainstreaming biological diversity in sustainable development can only be achieved by giving equal value to cultural diversity and the rights of indigenous peoples and local communities.
• With their traditional knowledge, sustainable customary use and practices, innovations and values, indigenous peoples and local communities are key actors in sustainable management of biodiversity and in building resilience in face of the current social and environmental changes.
• Action and initiatives at the local and grassroots levels are vital for the achievement of the three objectives of the CDB and the Aichi Targets.
• Diversity in all its forms is a major source of future options and capacity to respond to change. Biocultural diversity is strongly linked to community resilience and in this regard needs to be further understood, enhanced and promoted. Biocultural heritage is both a promoter of resilience and the manifestation of historical resilience.
• Building resilience requires promoting trust, well developed social networks and leadership. These contribute to “social capital” and adaptability. Resilience also requires encouragement of innovation, learning, experimentation, locally developed rules, and embracement of change.
• Biocultural systems, including indigenous farming systems, are a critical source of local products that contribute to local economy, food security, sustainable livelihoods and wellbeing.
• ICCAs, as living links between biological diversity and cultural diversity, play a critical role in conservation and sustainable management of biodiversity and promotion and enhancement of cultural diversity.
• Sharing of information, knowledge and practices among communities as well as between traditional knowledge holders and scientists needs to be further enhanced and promoted.
• The plan of action on customary sustainable use of biological diversity is a critical tool for promoting, within the framework of the Convention, a just implementation of Article 10c at local, national, regional and international levels and for ensuring the full and effective participation of indigenous and local communities at all stages and levels of its implementation
• It is also important to learn from and engage with faith based communities and exchange views and knowledge on cultural and spiritual values of biodiversity