The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) acknowledges the world's agricultural heritage regions through a program titled Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). The GIAHS was created with the goal of recognizing "remarkable land use systems and landscapes which are rich in globally significant biological diversity resulting from the co-adaptation of a community with its environment and its needs and goals for sustainable development." Since 2005, 67 systems in 22 countries have been designated by FAO as agricultural historic sites, and at the moment, 13 additional proposals from 8 different countries have been received. This article will explain to you about Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) which will be helpful in preparing the Environment Syllabus for the UPSC Civil Service exam.

What is the Need for GIAHS?

• Numerous factors, including climate change and growing competition for natural resources, pose a threat to agricultural systems in general.
• They must also deal with migration brought on by poor economic viability, which has led to the abandonment of traditional farming methods and the extinction of endemic species and breeds.
• The agricultural advancements and technology of today and the future are built on the foundation of these ancient agricultural systems.
• Many regions of the world continue to preserve their diverse agricultural, ecological, and cultural practices as their own distinct agricultural systems.

GIAHS - Goals & Objectives

The GIAHS Programme's overarching goal is to identify and protect Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems and their associated landscapes, agricultural biodiversity, and knowledge systems by catalysing and establishing a long-term programme to support such systems and enhance global, national, and local benefits derived from dynamic conservation, sustainable management, and enhanced viability.

The following are the primary objectives for achieving this goal:

• To mobilise global and national recognition of the value of agricultural heritage systems, as well as institutional support for their preservation;
  • The creation of the Agricultural Heritage Systems categories, which is supported by governments, FAO governing bodies, UNESCO, the World Heritage Centre, and other partners, has resulted in global recognition.
  • Improved understanding of the threats that such agricultural systems face, their global importance, and the benefits that they provide at all levels raises national recognition and awareness.
• Building the capacity of local farming communities and local and national institutions to conserve and manage GIAHS, generate income, and add economic value to such systems' goods and services in a sustainable manner.
  • identify methods to reduce the risks of biodiversity and traditional knowledge erosion, land degradation, and threats posed by globalisation processes, as well as skewed policies and incentives;
  • improve biodiversity conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, reducing vulnerability to climate change, improving sustainable agriculture and rural development, and thus contributing to food security and poverty alleviation.
• Increasing the benefits derived by local populations from conservation and sustainable use of their resources and innovative systems, and rewarding them through payment for Environmental Services, Eco-labeling, Eco-tourism, and other incentive mechanisms and market opportunities.
  • To advocate for enabling regulatory policies and incentive environments that will aid in the conservation, evolutionary adaptation, and viability of GIAHS;
  • Evaluation of existing policies and incentive mechanisms, as well as identification of modalities to support sustainable agricultural, practises;
  • Promotion of national and international processes that result in better policies and incentive mechanisms.

GIAHS - Strategy & Approach

• The GIAHS Programme supports intervention initiatives at three different levels to provide systematic support for the preservation and adaptive management of agricultural heritage systems:
  • Global Level: In addition to consolidating and disseminating lessons learned and best practices from project operations at the pilot country level, it will allow global identification of the concept of GIAHS where globally significant agrobiodiversity is harbored.
  • National Level: Project activities will make sure that the GIAHS concept is mainstreamed in national sectoral and inter-sectoral plans and policies at the national level in the pilot countries.
  • Local/ Site Level: The project efforts in the pilot nations will focus on community-level conservation and adaptive management.
• To slow the degradation of GIAHS, their dynamic nature must first be recognized. Their resilience is dependent on their ability to adapt to new challenges while retaining their biological and cultural wealth as well as their productive capacity.
• This necessitates ongoing agroecological and social innovation, as well as the careful transfer of accumulated knowledge and experience across generations.
• Attempting to preserve GIAHS by freezing them in time would undoubtedly degrade them and condemn their communities to poverty.
• The GIAHS approach focuses on human management and knowledge systems, including their socio-organizational, economic, and cultural characteristics, which underpin conservation and adaptation processes in GIAHS without jeopardizing their resilience, sustainability, and integrity.

GIAHS Sites in India

Koraput Traditional Agriculture (Odisha)

• In the Koraput Region, traditional communities are closely correlated with traditional systems.
• According to their beliefs and methods, a significant amount of biodiversity has been preserved through in-situ conservation, which protects indigenous species.
• Even though the local communities provide essential ecological services, they are among the poorest in the nation and the globe.
• Not always enough food is produced to meet everyone's needs throughout the year.
• The 2500 kinds of flowering plants that make up the vast floristic diversity of the local communities are preserved thanks to their traditional agricultural practices, which are environmentally friendly and incorporated into their surroundings.
• Sacred groves are an efficient way to conserve plant genetic resources since they are closely tied as a cultural characteristic.
• A forest patch is protected through social and biological mechanisms that have religious significance.
• The acknowledgment of this GIAHS would aim to enable rural communities to profit financially from their historical and ongoing contributions to the conservation of genetic resources in light of the threats to forest and agrobiodiversity, such as mining and deforestation.
• This would be a component of the social integration and value-adding of the neighboring communities.

Below Sea Level Farming System in Kuttanad (Kerala)

• The Kuttanad Wetland Agriculture System is unique because it is the only one in India that encourages rice growing on land that has been made by draining delta swamps into brackish waterways.
• It intends to address concerns with soil availability and floods in agriculture as a means of coping with the impending climate impacts in coastal areas and evolving effective techniques.
• The Kuttanad system is an intricate mosaic of dispersed agricultural landscapes organized into three structures:
  • wetlands used for paddy operations and fish capturing,
  • garden lands used for coconut, tubers, and food crop plantation, and
  • water areas utilized for inland fishing and shellfish.
• By building polders with bunds and dewatering them, wetlands are created.
• The protection of this fragile and unique system from any external pressure is important and urgent for humanity because it is essential for maintaining and enhancing so much endemic biodiversity and several crucial ecosystem services for human well-being worldwide.
• Waters are facing severe pollution due to tourism but also from the use of chemicals.

Pampore Saffaron Heritage, Jammu & Kashmir

• Kashmir is known for its saffron cultivation. This plant is mentioned in Kashmiri records as early as the fifth century B.C. and is still used in agriculture today.
• Saffron has become a cash crop for farmers as a result of a long traditional heritage.
• However, saffron cultivation has faced severe challenges in terms of sustainability and livelihood security, necessitating the urgent adoption of appropriate technologies to address water scarcity, productivity loss, and market volatility.
• In terms of occupation, only 1% of saffron growers rely on any other agriculture, while the rest of the farmers have a secondary source of income in addition to agriculture.
• Saffron Kashmiri systems promote high cultivated biodiversity through intercropping and agro pastoralism.
• Saffron cultivation has been threatened with extinction, despite the fact that it is an endemic plant to the region. Finally, farmers do not use chemical fertilisers or pesticides, which is good news for the wild flora, fauna, and soils.
• Growers prepare the corms for fresh plantation after digging, sorting, and cleaning to rejuvenate their saffron crop during the differentiation of floral and vegetative buds.
• Saffron is traditionally cultivated in Kashmir in September by planting saffron corms after hand ploughing as a mixture of grades under the traditional system for longer economic benefits.
• Kashmiri women till the soil as well as pick and gently dry the flowers. When the flowers have dried, been tossed, and sorted, they are ready to be given to the men.
• The men grade the saffron, which is now ready to be packed in moisture-proof containers, after removing the insides of the flowers.
• Saffron cultivation has significantly influenced the landscape of Kashmir Region. This shape is most visible when saffron flowers are open and the entire landscape is purple.
• Furthermore, Pampore Karewa soil is specifically designed as square beds. Each bed is 1.5m long and has a narrow trench on all sides to prevent water accumulation.

Importance of GIAHS in Indian Sites

• Contribute to raising awareness.
• Encourage the use of contemporary technologies to preserve heritage systems.
• Records the traditional knowledge.
• Give farmers training to strengthen their capacities in order to improve their marketing strategies and productivity.
• Modernization, commercialization tactics that set norms, and environmental labeling.
• Introduces sustainable practices among the tribes by utilizing contemporary technology and their wisdom.

Conclusion

In contrast to traditional heritage sites, protected areas, or landscapes, the idea of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) is more complex. GIAHS is a system of human communities that are always evolving and existing in a complex relationship with its territory, cultural or agricultural landscape, or wider social and physical surroundings.

FAQs

MCQs

1. What is the primary focus of the GIAHS program?

A) Industrial agriculture
B) Preserving cultural heritage and biodiversity
C) Enhancing crop yields through technology
D) Promoting monoculture practices

2. Which of the following is a key characteristic of GIAHS?

A) Use of chemical fertilizers
B) Integration of traditional knowledge with sustainable agriculture
C) High-tech farming systems
D) Overreliance on monocultures

3. How do GIAHS contribute to the preservation of biodiversity?

A) By using genetically modified crops
B) By maintaining monocultural practices
C) By promoting diverse crop varieties and eco-friendly practices
D) By eliminating indigenous species for high-yield crops

4. Which of the following is a typical feature of GIAHS?

A) High reliance on synthetic fertilizers
B) Community participation in agriculture and resource management
C) Use of large-scale industrial machinery
D) Monoculture-based farming

5. Which of the following is a key benefit of GIAHS to food security?

A) Use of chemical pesticides
B) Reducing biodiversity to increase yields
C) Promoting diverse agricultural practices that enhance resilience
D) Promoting industrial food production systems

GS Mains Questions and Model Answers

Q1: Examine the role of GIAHS in promoting sustainable agriculture. How do these systems contribute to environmental, economic, and social sustainability?

Answer: GIAHS play a crucial role in promoting sustainable agriculture by integrating traditional knowledge with modern environmental practices. These systems are based on principles that prioritize environmental conservation, such as soil fertility management, water conservation, and biodiversity protection. Economically, GIAHS contribute to local livelihoods by providing sustainable sources of income through diversified agricultural activities such as crop cultivation, livestock farming, and non-timber forest product collection. Socially, GIAHS empower local communities by involving them in decision-making processes and preserving cultural heritage. The holistic approach of GIAHS ensures the long-term sustainability of both agricultural practices and the surrounding ecosystems, contributing to food security and community resilience.

Q2: Discuss the importance of GIAHS in the context of global biodiversity conservation. How can these systems be used to mitigate the effects of climate change?

Answer: GIAHS are critical for global biodiversity conservation as they maintain and enhance ecosystems through sustainable agricultural practices. By protecting diverse habitats and promoting the use of native species, GIAHS contribute to the conservation of genetic diversity. These systems play a vital role in mitigating climate change by reducing the carbon footprint of agriculture, conserving water resources, and preserving forests and wetlands. Practices such as agroforestry, crop rotation, and organic farming help sequester carbon and increase the resilience of local ecosystems to the impacts of climate change. The integration of climate-smart agricultural practices in GIAHS helps create more sustainable food production systems that can adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Q3: Evaluate the potential challenges and opportunities of expanding GIAHS globally. What steps should be taken to support the expansion and sustainability of these systems?

Answer: Expanding GIAHS globally presents both challenges and opportunities. One of the primary challenges is the lack of awareness and recognition of these systems, which may result in inadequate support for their preservation. Additionally, external pressures such as urbanization, industrial agriculture, and climate change may threaten the sustainability of GIAHS. However, these challenges also present opportunities to advocate for sustainable agricultural practices that prioritize environmental conservation and social equity. To support the expansion and sustainability of GIAHS, it is crucial to increase global awareness, provide financial incentives for local communities, and develop policies that integrate GIAHS into national and international agricultural frameworks. Strong support for research and capacity-building will also help ensure that GIAHS continue to thrive and contribute to global agricultural and biodiversity goals.

Previous Year Questions on GIAHS

1. UPSC CSE Prelims 2021:

Question: Which of the following is a characteristic of GIAHS?

A) Use of high-tech farming
B) Preservation of traditional farming techniques
C) Monoculture farming
D) Heavy reliance on industrial fertilizers

Answer: (B)

Explanation: GIAHS are characterized by the preservation of traditional farming techniques, which contribute to sustainable agriculture, biodiversity conservation, and the maintenance of local cultural heritage.

2. UPSC CSE Mains 2019 (GS Paper 2):

Question: "What is the significance of GIAHS in promoting global sustainability? Discuss their role in biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation."

Answer: GIAHS contribute to global sustainability by preserving biodiversity through the maintenance of diverse agricultural landscapes and ecosystems. By adopting sustainable agricultural practices such as crop diversification, water conservation, and soil fertility management, GIAHS help mitigate climate change by reducing carbon emissions and enhancing carbon sequestration. Furthermore, these systems provide sustainable livelihoods for local communities and help preserve traditional knowledge, making them an essential part of global strategies for climate resilience and sustainable development.