ABSTRACT

The story of world agriculture is closely interwoven with that of the evolution of human civilization and of its diverse cultures and communities across the globe. In many developing countries, agricultural and rural life to this day is considerably

influenced by the society’s ancient cultural traditions and local community institutions and values, which are mostly conditioned by natural endowments, wealth and breadth of accumulated knowledge and experience in the management and use of natural resources. They reflect the value of the diversity of indigenous and traditional agricultural systems adapted to different environments and tell a fascinating story of humankind’s ability and cultural ingenuity to adjust and adapt to the vagaries of a changing physical and material environment from generation to generation, and leave indelible imprints of an abiding commitment to nature conservation and respect for our Mother Earth. For thousands of years, farming has been a way of life, a way of living in harmony with nature. Many of these indigenous and traditional agricultural systems can be referred to as Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) – a legacy from the past, passport to the future. These traditional systems have resulted not only in outstanding landscapes but, more important, in the perpetuation of globally significant agricultural biodiversity, the maintenance of resilient ecosystems and the preservation of valuable traditional knowledge and cultural practices. Perhaps, above all, they embody the principles for sustained provision of multiple goods and services, food nutrition and livelihood security and a certain quality of life that maintains a close link with nature (Wilken, 1987).