ERAHS: A New Platform for the Exchange of Regional Information and Experience on Agricultural Heritage Systems

Abstract

There are more than 10000 years of agricultural development history in the world that has provided very fruitful and ingenious traditional knowledge and experiences reflecting the evolution of humanity and the nature. In 2002, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) initiated an international partnership initiative of “Conservation and Adaptive Management of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS)” which aims to establish the basis for the international recognition, dynamic conservation and sustainable management of such systems, agricultural biodiversity and their associated biodiversity knowledge systems, food and livelihood security, landscapes and cultures. According to FAO, GIAHS are defined as “Remarkable land use systems and landscapes which are rich in globally significant biological diversity evolving from the coadaptation of a community with its environment and its needs and aspirations for sustainable development.” It is very obvious that GIAHS sites are different from other kinds of heritage. Generally, these traditional agricultural systems are selected on the basis of their importance for the provision of local food security, high levels of agricultural biodiversity and associated biological diversity, stores of indigenous knowledge and the ingenuity of their management systems. Correspondingly, some new and effective approaches to conserve and manage the new kinds of “heritage” should be found and developed. International and regional collaboration can play an important role in the process. Up to now, there are 31 GIAHS sites located in 13 countries. Most of them (23) are in Asia. China is one of the first countries responding and actively joining the GIAHS initiative. In 2005, the Qingtian Rice-Fish Culture System