Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) Designated in China, Iran, and Republic of Korea
10/11/2023 Rome/Bangkok
The selection of Ginger and waxberries in China, flood-spreading gardens and a walnut cultivating region in Iran, and an all-female fishery in the Republic of Korea as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) has been announced.
Asia’s Traditional Agricultural Practices Recognized for their Role in Sustainable Development Goals
The three countries in Asia have become the latest additions to the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), which were formally designated during a meeting of the GIAHS Scientific Advisory Group taking place in Rome from November 7 to 10. The sites designated in China, Iran, and the Republic of Korea highlight the key role played by Asia’s traditional agricultural practices in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) related to food security, climate change, and biodiversity loss. This designation also marks the first time GIAHS sites in Andorra and Austria have been confirmed.
The selection criteria for GIAHS sites, under the flagship programme of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), emphasize their global importance, value as a public good, support for food and livelihood security, agro-biodiversity, sustainable knowledge systems and practices, social values and culture, as well as outstanding landscapes. “Now over 20 years strong, GIAHS has proven to be a great model for showcasing longstanding practices to render agrifood systems more resilient to climate change,” said FAO Deputy Director-General Maria Helena Semedo.
With the newest addition to the global agricultural heritage systems list, FAO’s worldwide agricultural heritage network now consists of 86 systems in 26 countries around the globe.
Chestnut, White Ginger and Waxberry Heartlands in China
The Kuancheng Traditional Chestnut Eco-Planting System in northern China’s Hebei Province is located in one of the first and most important areas in China to cultivate chestnuts, dating back to the Han Dynasty (206 BC to 220 CE). A traditional cultivation system with chestnuts as the core together with other crops, medicinal materials, and poultry industries was gradually established. This site forms an important part of the global chestnut variety resource bank and it is rich in cultural content, respecting nature and based on a form of social organization that promotes agricultural production.
The Tongling White Ginger Plantation System forms an important part of Southern China’s ginger planting area. There are 17 varieties of ginger in the Tongling White Ginger Plantation System, with white ginger being the main variety. Semi-late rice is the main crop for rice cultivation in Tongling, with fewer early-season and late rice varieties. There are 31 main varieties of rice. Tongling has developed key techniques for ginger plantation including ginger pavilions for seed-preserving and germination-accelerating. There are many processing recipes dating back over nearly 1,000 years such as Salt-pickled Ginger, Sauced Ginger, Sweet-and-Sour Ginger, and Sugared Ginger.
The Xianju Ancient Chinese Waxberry Composite System in eastern China’s Zhejiang Province is in an area where the cultivation of these fruit trees dates back more than 1,600 years, with many villagers tending them in combination with tea, chickens, and bees. There are 100,000 farmers in the GIAHS site, of whom 26,000 are engaged in waxberry cultivation, composite planting and breeding, and other related industries. The site has accumulated a large number of ancient waxberry genetic resources with diverse types and rich varieties. In May 2015, China’s first county-level biodiversity conservation action plan was released by the local government of Xianju County.
Flood-spreading Gardens and Walnut Cultivation in Iran
The traditional Gardens of Qazvin, northwest of Iran’s capital Tehran, are a flood-spreading system that dates back thousands of years. Situated in the foothills of the Alborz ranges, the creation of the gardens surrounding the city has protected its inhabitants from floods while adapting to and taking advantage of the watershed to produce nuts and local delicacies. By capturing, redirecting, and sharing floodwaters, local communities have been able to cultivate and grow fruits all around Qazvin. Today, the system provides food and employment opportunities for people but also cools the temperature of the city and serves to replenish groundwater tables.
The Traditional Walnut Agricultural System in Tuyserkan, Iran is known not just for its walnut orchards but also for its delicacies as well as its landscapes and historical monuments. Based on family-farming, the cultivation of walnuts supports the livelihoods of a major part of the households in the area. This cultivation is mainly developed in valleys and is irrigated using water canals designed at different levels and fed mainly by rivers and springs as well as Qanats. Among the local practices is irrigating walnut trees in the cold and frost season, which farmers believe helps to eliminate pests and diseases.
Unique All-Female Fishery in Republic of Korea
The Jeju haenyeo fishing practice is a traditional subsistence fishing system predominantly carried out by women. The Haenyeo” (“sea women” in Korean) dive underwater without the aid of breathing apparatus and collect seafood such as disk abalone, horned turban, and sea mustard. They have long been engaged in a half-farming and half-fishery lifestyle. This system is believed to be the sole fishery globally that is managed solely by women. Its primary purpose is to serve as a source of household sustenance rather than engaging in commercial fishing. The diving skills and traditional wisdom of Jeju haenyeo represent a living social system that has been listed as an intangible world heritage by UNESCO.
Pasture System in Andorra
The subalpine and supraforestal pastures of Andorra reflect the longstanding agropastoral system developed in this tiny landlocked country which lies almost 2,000 meters above sea level on average in the Pyrenees mountains. The local population has combined spontaneous pastures and cultivated feeding. This supports the production of livestock, bovines, ovines, horses, on free-range and extensive grazing, which can be traded for other goods and food with the neighboring regions. It is based on common lands and shared pastures, with the animals’ owners paying a
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
-
SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- Indicator: The article mentions the selection of sites that support food and livelihood security, agro-biodiversity, and sustainable knowledge systems and practices.
-
SDG 13: Climate Action
- Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries.
- Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning.
- Indicator: The article highlights the role of traditional agricultural practices in combating climate change and biodiversity loss.
-
SDG 15: Life on Land
- Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services.
- Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.
- Indicator: The article mentions the selection of sites based on their value in supporting agro-biodiversity and outstanding landscapes.
-
SDG 5: Gender Equality
- Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance, and natural resources, in accordance with national laws.
- Indicator: The article highlights the unique all-female fishery in the Republic of Korea, which is managed solely by women.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | Target 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | The article mentions the selection of sites that support food and livelihood security, agro-biodiversity, and sustainable knowledge systems and practices. |
| SDG 13: Climate Action | Target 13.1: Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries. Target 13.2: Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies, and planning. |
The article highlights the role of traditional agricultural practices in combating climate change and biodiversity loss. |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration, and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity, and protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species. |
The article mentions the selection of sites based on their value in supporting agro-biodiversity and outstanding landscapes. |
| SDG 5: Gender Equality | Target 5.a: Undertake reforms to give women equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to ownership and control over land and other forms of property, financial services, inheritance, and natural resources, in accordance with national laws. | The article highlights the unique all-female fishery in the Republic of Korea, which is managed solely by women. |
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Fuente: fao.org
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