1.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 1
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016Author name
Date
Krystyna
Swiderska
15 November 2016
Krystyna Swiderska, IIED
UNFCCC COP22, 15 November 2016
Biocultural Innovations for Climate
Resilient Food Systems:
SIFOR – Common Findings

2.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 2
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation
for Resilience (2012-2017)
• AIM: To strengthen Indigenous Knowledge-based
innovation systems for food security in the face of
climate change.
• Participatory Action Research in 64 indigenous
communities:
 Peru – Potato Park (Quechua): Alejandro
Argumedo (ANDES)
 China – Guangxi & Yunnan (Naxi): Yiching Song
(CCAP)
 India - Central & Eastern Himalayas (Lepcha): Ajay
Rastogi (Lok Chetna Manch)
 Kenya - Coastal (Mijikenda): Chemuku Wekesa
(KEFRI) (inc. semi-arid, dryland)

3.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 3
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
SIFOR Baseline Study
(2013-14)
The study involved over 900 HHs in total -
qualitative & quantitative surveys. Explored:
• Trends in livelihoods & migration; food
security; agrobiodiversity; climate; & social
capital. Mainly from 2002-2012.
• Biocultural innovations:
- Technological, market, institutional
- Endogenous (internal); collaborative (joint)

4.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 4
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Focused on “Biocultural Heritage-based Innovations”
because IK is part of biocultural heritage
Indigenous
knowledge
Bio-genetic
diversity
Landscapes
Cultural &
spiritual values
Customary
laws Resilience
innovation

5.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 5
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Why focus on biocultural
innovation?
• To show that indigenous peoples are
also innovators.
• To strengthen agroecological
practices for adaptation & mitigation.
• To strengthen self-reliance in face of
growing variability & uncertainty.
• To conserve agrobiodiversity & IK
• To strengthen indigenous peoples’
rights & leadership.

6.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 6
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Clear evidence of changes in climate & adverse
impacts on food systems (2002-12)
% Households Decreased/
more
erratic
Rainfall
Increased
Drought
Increased
Temperatur
e
Increased
Pests &
Diseases
SW China
Guangxi & YN
(344 HHs)
92% 63% 70% 67%
India – C & E
Himalayas
(c.130 HHs)
71% 89% 80% 79%
Peru – Potato
Park
(61 HHs)
92% 56% 50% 50%
Kenya coast
(375 HHs)
78% 90% 91% 82%
All: more extreme events; more variable weather

7.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 7
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Income diversification & out-migration
(2002-12):
- Shift to non-farm income, but farming still most
important livelihood activity for income & food security
- Increased migration to cities for work (esp. men)
Income Out-migration to cities
China
(CSA)
Steady increase GX & YN
3-4 x increase in CSA HHs (GX)
GX: from 44% to 43%
YN: from 41% to 69%
Peru
(Potato Pk)
Av. HH Income nearly doubled Grew from 14% to 22%
Kenya Av. HH income increased by a
third (but expenditure also inc)
Av 14% in 2012
India Av. HH income inc. by 25% (but
expenditure also inc.)
CH & EH – slight increase

8.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 8
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Loss of crop diversity & spread of hybrids
(2002-2012)
SW China: Rapid decline in maize landraces &
spread of hybrids. Revival of heritage varieties
in CSA villages (since 2007).
Peru PP: Potato diversity doubled due to CIP
agreement & collective management.
India Him: Loss of crop diversity due to
wildlife/birds, change in food habits, dry spells.
Kenya coast (30yrs): Reduction in HHs
growing maize & cassava landraces by 20-50%;
increase in HHs growing hybrids by 20-30%.
All: Women play key role in seed security

9.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 9
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Yield trends (2002-12)
Country / Crop Changes in yield
Potato Park, Peru –
native potato
Slight increase in yields despite severe
increase in pests
SW China – PPB maize 15-30% increase in yields due to PPB
India – potato, maize,
rice landraces
Slight decline in potato yields
Kenya – maize &
cassava
Reduced crop & livestock productivity due
to drought & pests/diseases

10.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 10
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Central Himalayas – District Almora, Uttarankhand State, India

11.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 11
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016Biocultural heritage-based innovations -
• Identified > 600 biocultural innovations for food
security in the face of climate change – all
agroecology-based; some v. effective.
• Mostly technological innovations – less
institutional & market innovations
• Technological innovations: diversification
(traditional crops/varieties); revitalising traditional
practices (inter-cropping & IPM); new/resilient
crop varieties; new cropping systems; improved
farming tools; bio-pesticides; Soil & Water
conservation.

12.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 12
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Biocultural innovations - Kenya
• Planting hybrids, improved & traditional maize &
cassava together to reduce risk.
• Planting pruned cassava tops: yield increased
4-5 x, maturation time reduced by 6 months.
• Planting coconuts face down to avoid termites.
• Soil fertility: deep ploughing/turning & manure >
High productivity
• Domestication of wild fruit & medicinal trees for
increased income > planting trees on farm.
• Effective IK-based treatments for livestock
disease.
• Cultural Village: To protect Kaya forest through
eco-tourism, revitalise traditional crops & culture.

13.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 13
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016

14.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 14
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Biocultural innovations in India
Eastern Himalayas:
• Breeding new varieties (EH): high yielding radish - crossed
modern & traditional variety; black rice bean with higher yield &
price; drought tolerant cardamom & new cropping system.
• Far improved yield of onions, cauliflower and gadheri by
changing sowing times, planting depth & weeding.
• Domestication of broomstick grass after landslide – for soil
conservation & cash crop.
• Traditional institution for pooling labour; pooling produce.
Central Him:
• More diversified mixed cropping nr. house provides food
throughout year & fertile soil.
• New composting techniques > higher yields & v. efficient
water use
• Switch to finger millet > inc. resilience to drought, nutrition and
income. Early uprooting of maize to buffer drought.
• Women planting fodder trees on farm
• Crop Protection Committees to reduce crop raiding

15.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 15
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016

16.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 16
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Conclusions: IK is vital for resilience
& adaptation (complements science)
• Climate forecasting using variety of signs
• Resilient technologies & farming practices.
• Traditional production systems/strategies
designed to manage risk & maximise resilience
over time (rather than short term productivity)
• Holistic worldviews that are deeply connected
to land - prioritise ecological values, sufficiency
& equity/sharing.
• Adaptation with development & mitigation co-
benefits (eg. livelihoods, social capital; organic
inputs, tree planting, soil carbon).

17.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 17
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Diversification versus productivist model
• In risk-prone environments, need to support the resilience
logic that underpins traditional production systems & use
science to fit that model (rather than productivist logic).
• High tech seeds may be very productive in the short term,
but erode genetic diversity & IK for future & can inc. risk.
• Traditional production systems sustain genetic evolution &
co-evolution for adaptation (DNA evidence that maize
landraces more resilient than same lines held ex-situ)
Growing evidence that diversification & agroecology is
an effective ‘climate-smart’ alternative - eg:
• SIFOR: significant increases in income & yield.
• Landraces have higher nutrition (FAO/CWS)
• IPES: Diversified = more productive over time, eg. 30 yrs
• 700 yr. old indigenous W. African soil enrichment – inc
yields 2-3 times
• IK-based innovations have sustained productivity for
centuries (archeological study in NW Kenya).

18.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 18
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Paris Agreement: adaptation should
support ecosystems, IK and rights
• Art 7.5: Adaptation action “should be based on the
best available science and, as appropriate, traditional
knowledge, knowledge of indigenous peoples and
local knowledge systems”.
• Preamble: Respect Human Rights & Rights of
Indigenous Peoples
• IPCC: Recognises importance of Indigenous
Knowledge and Worldviews for effective adaptation
(AR5)
• BUT - NDCs: Very few mention Indigenous
Knowledge/People (except Peru & India &..?)

19.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 19
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Urgent action is needed!
• 50-90% if languages will be lost by 2100
(UNESCO) – indicator of IK.
• “If we lose IK, we will have to invest millions
of dollars to re-invent solutions for
adaptation” (Carlos Loret de Mola, Govt of
Peru, South-South exchange workshop,
Lijiang, May 2016)
• Need to engage Indigenous Peoples as
technical experts in policy discussions on
adaptation, climate smart agriculture & EbA!

20.
SIFOR - Smallholder Innovation for Resilience 20
Krystyna Swiderska
15 November 2016
Thank you!
www.bioculturalheritage.org