Indigenous people and climate change
As humans came closer to advancements of materialism, urbane infrastructure, information technology, and beyond, they went distant from the nature. For their weird ambitions, humans kept ruining the nature, which had offered them every basic, life-giving resource. While the present civilization was on the path of sophistication, it was indeed losing connection with the great nature. However, there are yet millions of people on the Earth, who have never discarded links with the nature. These self-reliant and resilient people live sustainably and in harmony with their ecosystems.
But in current times these food systems are at risk, says the United Nations’ agency report. These indigenous communities, with their intimate relations with the nature, can play a catalyst of climate change goals, say report. As they live on the frontline of climate change, they can provide revolutionary insight towards biodiversity protection and sustainability, says the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). The report featured 11 indigenous tribes ranging from the Arctic to the Amazon, the Himalayas to the Sahel. However, they need immediate help to cope up with mounting threats to their way of life.
Living in harmony with their ecosystems
Even if they have to inhabit ruthless environments, they sustain. The FAO researchers stayed in various regions with indigenous population, and gathered unique insights about their lifestyles. Exploring ancestral knowledge in the Solomon Islands, the agency people found that Melanesians combine agroforestry, wild food gathering and fishing to generate 70 percent of their dietary needs. These people generate hundreds of nutritious foods, and protect the biodiversity of the world. Moreover, despite achieving high levels of self-sufficiency, they do not deplete natural resources, said the FAO.
The Inari Sámi community of Finland’s Arctic region generates 75 percent of the protein they need through fishing, hunting and herding. The analysis of the sustainable means of life amid growing threats reveals that these indigenous communities can contribute vitally in countering global threats. These threats include the destruction of nature, climate change, biodiversity loss and the risk of future pandemics. However, the authors of the report maintained that their traditional ways of life are at high risk. This is due to climate change and ever expanding industrial and commercial activities.
Indigenous people and climate crisis
According to the UN agency, there are around 478 million indigenous people globally. This research also research offers insights on reindeer herding by the Inari Sámi people in Nellim, Finland and the forest-based food system of the Baka indigenous people in South-eastern Cameroon. Moreover, this research also explores the Milpa food system of the Maya Ch’orti’ people in Chiquimula, Guatemala. These people are also called ‘the Maize people’. These indigenous people have survived for centuries, but their agri-food systems may disappear in the next few years, the researchers warned, due to several driving factors.
The FAO’s research also covers the Khasi, Bhutia and Anwal peoples of India, the Kel Tamasheq people in Mali, Colombia’s Tikuna, Cocama and Yagua peoples and the Maya Ch’orti’ in Guatemala. The traditions of these indigenous communities are the mix of various sustainable food generation methods. These techniques include hunting, gathering, fishing, pastoralism and shifting cultivation. They also combine adaptive practices including nomadism. This practice is based on food generation linked to seasonal cycles in a resilient way.
