ABSTRACT

The Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) examined in this book comprise a small proportion of traditional agricultural systems that are around us or dispersed over many countries and regions. These agricultural

systems reflect the common traits of richness in biodiversity and genetic resources for food and agriculture, knowledge systems, cultural diversity, features of sustainability and environmental stability; though they are all distinguished from one another and unique in character, the prevalence of these systems from ancient to present times is a legacy.