United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit 2021 and the role of indigenous peoples as guardians of biodiversity

United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit 2021 and the role of  indigenous peoples as guardians of biodiversity
G20 Green Garden Park in Rome, Italy by Veronika Sherova.

Veronika Sherova, 

Environment and Human Rights researcher,  

Global Human Rights Defense.  

Key words: Food Systems Summit, climate change, Indigenous Peoples’ rights. 

The United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit was held in Rome from July 26-28, setting the  stage for the global event planned for September 2021. Throughout the following year, the summit  will raise awareness of the problems in our food systems - the methods in which we produce,  process and consume food. These problems drive climate change by contributing to greenhouse  gas emissions through the production of food, its transportation, and the storage of food waste in  landfills. The main message of the Summit is that our food systems must change in order to meet  the 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

Within a variety of elevated discussions, during the session “Indigenous Food Systems: Game  Changing Solutions for the World,” the significant role of Indigenous Peoples in improving our  food systems was raised. Half a billion Indigenous Peoples, representing 5,000 diverse 

communities and 4,000 different languages around the planet, constitute the core of biodiversity.  Together with smallholder producers and local communities, Indigenous Peoples produce 60-80  percent of the food worldwide.  

According to the Pre-Summit session, multiple studies, like the UN Food and Agriculture  Organization's "Indigenous Peoples' Food Systems and Well-Being," have proven that Indigenous  Peoples can play a major role in developing sustainable, equitable, and nutritious food systems  worldwide. Based on centuries of accumulated knowledge, their food systems are proven to be  highly efficient and more resilient to climate change than modern food systems.  

One of the keys to achieving the SDGs by 2030 is establishing strong collaboration with  Indigenous Peoples and protecting their rights. In order to maintain biodiversity and build  resilience to climate change, it is critical to ensure their right to land and natural resources, as well  as their right to be consulted, and to recognize their knowledge. Their involvement matters. 

For further consideration: 

The official web-site of the United Nations Food Systems Pre-Summit: https://www.un.org/en/ food-systems-summit

Thomas Reuters Foundation News, July 2021, Land rights for small producers: a critical  solution to the world's food systems, https://www.un.org/en/food-systems-summit/news/land rights-small-producers-critical-solution-worlds-food-systems

Thomas Reuters Foundation News, July 2021, Indigenous Peoples' food systems & well-being, https://news.trust.org/item/20210714115228-ymwxo;  

International Institute for Environment and Development, October 2020, Indigenous Peoples’  food systems hold the key to feeding humanity, https://www.iied.org/indigenous-peoples-food systems-hold-key-feeding-humanity.