ABSTRACT
Traditional knowledge is a tool, proven by the test of time that has allowed many ecosystem-based people to cope with change and prosper over millennia. It has contributed directly to their resilience and the flourishing of both cultural and biological diversity. The extent to which the mainstream can access and learn from such knowledge, innovations and practices, will directly contribute to humanity’s ability to cope with such pressing global issues as climate change, biological diversity loss and the unsustainable use of our limited resources. Most indigenous and local communities are situated in areas where the vast
majority of the world’s biological diversity, including genetic diversity, is found. Many of them have cultivated and used biological diversity in a sustainable way for thousands of years. Some of their practices have been proven to enhance and promote biodiversity at the local level and aid in maintaining healthy ecosystems. However, the contribution of indigenous and local communities to the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity goes far beyond their role as natural resource managers. Their skills and techniques provide valuable information to the global community and a useful model for biodiversity policies. Furthermore, as on-site communities with extensive knowledge of local environments, indigenous and local communities are most directly involved with in situ conservation and sustainable use. Since indigenous peoples are an integral part of the ecosystem they manage, the best guarantee for the survival of nature (environmental sustainability) is the survival of this knowledge and of the holders of this knowledge.
