Support for Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Areas and Territories (ICCAs)

Implementing organization: PNUD    Duration: 01/2023 - 12/2028 Main counterpart: Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity (SCBD) – Canada IKI area: Biodiversity







Initial situation 

Indigenous Peoples and local communities play a crucial role in the conservation of biological diversity. The project supports these communities in 45 countries in preserving their traditional habitats and protecting biodiversity. Among other approaches, this was carried out through a small grants fund. Knowledge and resources were also strengthened within local communities to manage and conserve protected areas. 

The habitats of Indigenous communities living in these areas also needed to be improved and safeguarded. Traditional knowledge and practices should be recognized and addressed in government planning processes. Partner countries also received advice on implementing their protected area strategies. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was expanded to mitigate the direct impacts of the pandemic and contribute to pandemic prevention. 

Objectives  

  • Increase the visibility of traditional biodiversity-related knowledge and the contributions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities to biodiversity conservation and climate action, in order to achieve the goals of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF) and the Paris Agreement. 
  • Create a network of well-managed protected areas. 

Activities 

  • Strengthen the leadership and technical capacity of Indigenous Peoples.  
  • Rediscover native seeds and conservation methods to promote environmental and economic sustainability.  
  • Improve the skills of Indigenous youth to lead action on climate-resilient agriculture. 
  • Revitalize Indigenous conservation methods to safeguard wetlands.  
  • Establish the first agroforestry concession managed by Indigenous Peoples and local communities.