What’s new
2024
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLS, METHODS, AND LESSONS LEARNED
Webinar Series
The People and Plants International Traditional Foodways Program held a webinar on knowledge exchange and education. In this webinar, People and Plants partners shared practical advice and lessons learned from knowledge exchange programs over the last 30 years.
PPI also produced a Lessons Learned document for knowledge exchange practitioners.
This event is the second in a series of webinars exploring tools and methodologies associated with knowledge exchange, drawing upon People and Plants' decades-long experience. Learn more.
New Policy Brief
FAO, People and Plants International, and the Alliance of Bioversity International and the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have released a policy brief. It is aimed at forest, agriculture and health practitioners, landscape and land-use planners and associated decision and policymakers. It reviews literature on the opportunities and challenges surrounding forest food and traditional food systems, focusing on three interrelated themes:
Nutrition, diversity and health
Sustainable and adaptive management systems
Equitable and sustainable value chains
The brief concludes with recommendations for policymakers, government institutions, private sector entities and practitioners to help them make informed decisions in support of healthy, biodiverse and climate-resilient agrifood systems.
A collection of case studies has been produced on forest and wild foods, and agrifood systems that integrate forest foods and wild species. The case studies include information on species use, markets and management practices, and threats to sustainability and equity. They help to make visible the knowledge, experience and livelihoods of Indigenous Peoples and local communities (IPLC) and bring into view the widespread and critical management systems that feed much of the world’s population, but too often exist on the margins of policy, and lack support.
Download PDF and learn more about the brief.
Wrapper leaves of Mount Cameroon
People and Plants has produced a video on wrapper leaves used for cooking traditional Bakweri and other foods around Mount Cameroon. Wrapper leaves are used around the world in traditional foodways. The video follows wrapper leaf harvesters in the forest, as they process the leaves, bring them to market, and use the leaves to prepare foods.
traditional breadmaking in South Africa
As part of the Traditional Foodways Program, People and Plants partners in South Africa produced a documentary, co-created with local community members from the Agter Parkhuis, offering an intimate exploration of the Cederberg Soetsuurdeegbrood breadmaking tradition. Learn more
cultural festival in ecuador
People and Plants partner Sacha Warmi held a cultural festival in the community of Boberas, located 8 hours from the city of Puyo, traveling along the Bobonaza River. This festival is part of a process to document and celebrate Kichwa culture and territory. It was part of the annual General Assembly of the Kichwa People of Pastaza, with more than 200 participants. Learn more.
TRADITIONAL MILPA AND SEED FESTIVALS IN MEXICO
As part of the Cultural Landscapes and Community Conservation Program, People and Plants partners in Mexico…
Held milpa and seed festivals and exchanges, and created a community seed bank and butterfly farm, in the Sierra Tarahumara.
Held workshops with campesinos, weavers and charcoal producers, as well as with students, teachers and supervisors to develop calendars for reflection on the challenges of local food systems in the Sierra de Zongolica.
Sierra Tarahumara, Chihuahua. (Photo: Adolfo Rebolledo)
Sierra de Zongolica, Veracruz. (Photo: Miguel Ángel Vega)
Native corn varieties of the Sierra Tarahumara. (Credit: Adolfo Rebolledo)
Biocultural memory of the semi-desert as a culinary ecosystem, San Luis Potosí, Mexico. (Credit: Belinda Contreras)
Textile calendar of the Sierra de Zongolica, (Credit: Belinda Contreras)
new program
People and Plants, the University of Cape Town, and other partners launched the Rethinking Biodiversity-Based Economies for Conservation and Equity program. In October 2024, the program held a side event at the Convention on Biological Diversity Conference of the Parties in Cali, Colombia.
2023
Traditional Bakweri Baskets of Mount Cameroon
People and Plants International, through the Mount Cameroon Cultural Forests Project, a collaboration of communities, local nonprofit organizations, and the Limbe Botanic Garden, has produced a video documenting and celebrating the traditional basket-making of the Bakweri people of Mount Cameroon.
KNOWLEDGE EXCHANGE TOOLS, METHODS, AND LESSONS LEARNED
New Webinar Series
The Traditional Foodways Program held a webinar on Indigenous Food and Cultural Revival Festivals. These festivals celebrate local cultures and connections to nature, strengthen communities, raise awareness in the public, and inform policy making. In this webinar, People and Plants partners share practical advice, experiences, and lessons learned from festivals in The Philippines, Ecuador, South Africa and Indonesia.
This event is the first in a series of webinars exploring tools and methodologies associated with knowledge exchange, drawing upon People and Plants' decades-long experience. Additional webinars will include: manuals and booklets; recipe exchanges and cookbooks; video production; games; and seasonal calendars.
Learn more.
LAUNCH OF NEW small grants program
The Cultural Landscapes and Community Conservation Program received support from a generous donor for small grants to collaborators and partners around the world, including for our traditional foodways video series, traditional basket-making in Cameroon, traditional breadmaking in South Africa, land and resource rights in Panama, seasonal calendars as a process of community reflection in Mexico, and traditional food festivals in The Philippines and Indonesia.
the ridgeview conservancy
People and Plants International Steering Committee member Patricia Shanley is working to restore the forests and foster connections with nature in New Jersey, as part of the ecological literacy and conservation initiatives of Ridgeview Conservancy.
Click here to learn more.
iufro report on Forests and Human Health
People and Plants International Steering Committee members joined the Global Forest Expert Panel of the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) to produce the report Forests and Trees for Human Health: Pathways, Impacts, Challenges and Response Options. A Global Assessment Report. The report presents the results of a two year scientific assessment which makes clear, as Alexander Buck, Executive Director of IUFRO, said: "forests have immense potential to contribute to the mental, physical, and social health and well being of humans... The vast potential of forests, and nature, to contribute to positive health outcomes is increasingly recognized and promoted by policy processes at the international level."
Download PDF.
2022
Recipes from the Interweave of People and Place
Video series
In 2022, People and Plants International, through the Traditional Foodways Program, produced a recipe video series that documents and celebrates delicious and healthy traditional cuisines interwoven with the forests and environments from which they grow. The series provides a glimpse into the layers of knowledge that go into a recipe – the wisdom of generations and innovations of individual cooks, farmers, hunters, and gatherers. We also explore the traditional management systems that produce these nutritious, diverse, and seasonal foods and ingredients, as well as the threats to these environments and cultural practices.
We invite you to watch the overview video presenting the series, and the collection of recipe videos featuring dishes from Ecuador, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia and The Philippines.
YouTube Channel
People and Plants International has created a YouTube Channel to share the videos produced through our different programs. From recipe videos to basket making, and case studies exploring the environmental, social, and political dimensions of traditional management systems, our channel will continue to grow and showcase PPI's video work, produced in collaboration with local organizations and media teams from around the world.
Click here to explore and share the channel.
Mobile Forest School, The Philippines
People and Plants partner SPNKK held two sessions of the Mobile Forest School (MFS), a 10-day capacity building program for Negrito youth and communities in The Philippines. The program is designed to offer a comprehensive, holistic approach towards forests, based on the Negrito worldview.
ipbes report on the sustainable use of wild species
People and Plants International Steering Committee members joined the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) to produce the Assessment report on the sustainable use of wild species. The Report is the result of four years of work by 85 leading experts from the natural and social sciences, and holders of indigenous and local knowledge, as well as 200 contributing authors. The assessment considers various approaches to the enhancement of the sustainability of the use of wild species and to strengthen related practices, taking into account the multiple worldviews and knowledge systems that operate within different social-ecological systems.
Download PDF.
Pamaw-a Ata Indigenous Food Festival, THE Philippines
People and Plants partner SPNKK held the Pamaw-a Ata Indigenous Food Festival in Don Salvador Benedicto, Negros Occidental, in The Philippines on October 6-7, 2022. The Festival included a children’s workshop, a cooking competition, skills demonstrations and indigenous games and a dialogue forum with Ata communities and government agencies. Learn more.
Traditional Food and Culture Festival, Indonesia
People and Plants partner Riak Bumi held the Traditional Food and Culture Festival on August 19-23, 2022 in Lanjak, Kapuas Hulu, Kalimantan Barat, in Indonesia. This Festival is part of the organization’s efforts to share knowledge across generations and celebrate the culture of the Dayak and Malay people. The festival included a two-day children’s program, a cooking competition, workshops, traditional games, music and dance. Learn more.
Traditional Food Festival, Ecuadorian Amazon
People and Plants partner Sacha Warmi held a food festival in March 2022 at the headquarters of ACIA – the Association of Indigenous Communities of Arajuno – located in northwest Pastaza province in the Ecuadorian Amazon. The festival celebrated indigenous farming and forest management systems, and provided an opportunity for families to share knowledge and exchange products.
report with cifor on refugees in africa
2021
riak bumi, indonesia produces new manual
We invite you to download the manual Praktek Budidaya, Pengeringan & Penyimpanan Tengkawang edited by People and Plants’ partners MY Transform (Malaysia) and Yayasan Riak Bumi (Indonesia). Download PDF.
This manual is accompanied by two posters on Planting, Drying and Storing of Illipe. Download posters here.
TRADITIONAL FOODWAYS overview video
People and Plants has produced an overview video to present the Traditional Foodways Program. We invite you to watch it here:
Connecting The Dots: NEW Report and Video
People and Plants International, in partnership with Voices for BioJustice and the University of Cape Town, and supported by GIZ and BMZ, produced the report Connecting The Dots... Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Use and Access and Benefit Sharing. The research supporting this report included interviews with 85 individuals from government, research institutions, NGOs and the private sector in Cameroon, Madagascar, Namibia and South Africa, and also globally.
Click here to download the Report. The Executive Summary is available in English and French.
2020 and earlier
Traditional mezcal production
People and Plants International, through the Traditional Foodways and Voices for BioJustice programs, has produced a series of videos documenting the environmental, social, and political dimensions of Mezcal production and commercialization in Mexico. To watch a short overview video that explores these issues, and a series of interviews with community members, producers, researchers, and others, please click here.
a guide to plants from indonesia
We invite you to download the book A Picture Guide to the Plants of the Nantu Wildlife Sanctuary, authored by Marlina Ardiyani, Arief Hidayat, Ujang Hapid, Zulham R. Tangahu, Nurma Rosalia, James Kumolontang, Dedy Darnaedi and PPI associate Lynn Clayton –with the support of People and Plants International. Download PDF.
Maruyog Nga Lahi
The Ati of Panay & Ata of Negros
The National Museum of The Philippines, in partnership with SPNKK and associated Ati and Ata communities, held the webinar Beautiful People, on October 5, 2020
Exploring the Scope of Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) Measures:
Implications for Implementation in the COMIFAC Region
Voices for BioJustice a collaboration between People and Plants, the University of Cape Town, the Swift Foundation and others, held a webinar on July 16, 2020 as part of the webinars series Benefit sharing and traditional knowledge: unsolved dilemmas for implementation. Learn more.
BRINGING THE VOICES OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES INTO GLOBAL ARENAS
Voices for BioJustice a collaboration between People and Plants, the University of Cape Town, the Swift Foundation and others, held a webinar on June 24, 2020 as part of the webinars series Benefit sharing and traditional knowledge: unsolved dilemmas for implementation.
Learn more.
The challenge of attribution and origin:
traditional knowledge and access and benefit sharing
Voices for BioJustice a collaboration between People and Plants, the University of Cape Town, the Swift Foundation and others, held a webinar on June 11, 2020 as part of the webinars series Benefit sharing and traditional knowledge: unsolved dilemmas for implementation. Learn more.
New article in Science on rethinking abs policy
Sarah Laird, Rachel Wynberg, Michelle Rourke, Fran Humphries, Manuel Ruiz Muller and Charles Lawson. 2020. Rethink the expansion of access and benefit sharing. Science 367 (6483).
Download PDF.
WHAT ARE WE REGULATING?
The scope of access and benefit sharing (ABS)
Voices for BioJustice - a collaboration between People and Plants, the University of Cape Town, and others - held a webinar on March 5th, 2020.
Click here to watch the Voices for BioJustice ABS and Scope video series
Click here to download the ABS and Scope Policy Brief.
Voices for BioJustice
A collaboration between People and Plants, the University of Cape Town, and others - has produced a video describing our work to bring the voices of local groups to policy making. Voices for BioJustice is supported by The Christensen Fund, the Darwin Initiative, and others.
Traditional Food Festival West Kalimantan
The Festival took place on September 14 - 15, 2019 in Lanjak, Kebupaten Kapuas Hilir, West Kalimantan, Indonesia. The event was organized by Yayasan Riak Bumi, in partnership with the local government and Bitung Kerihun/Danau Sentarum National Park.
Learn more.
Salud Propia
Kichiwa Territory, Pastaza, Ecuador, 2019. This video reports on a workshop held as part of a process examining and supporting the interconnectedness of health, culture and nature. The Sacha Warmi Foundation walks alongside the Kichwa people of Pastaza and reflects with them on the meaning of indigenous health and healthcare today, supporting their goals of self-determination and autonomy.
Selena Ahmed, Ashley Duval and Rachel Meyer. 2019. Botany at the Bar: The Art and Science of Making Bitters.
A guidebook to everything bitters - the history, science, and plants behind them - with 75 botanical recipes.
Purchase here.
Mary Stockdale and Citlalli López Binnqüist (eds) Jutta Blauert, Martha Miranda Jiménez, Erick Arancibia Arias, Fabrice Edouard (2019). Manejo comunitario sustentable de Productos Forestales No Maderables: Un manual para América Latina.
This manual provides guidance to rural communities working to develop, implement and monitor plans for the sustainable management of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). It is also a resource on methods and approaches to the sustainable management of natural resources.
Download PDF.
José Antonio Sierra, People and Plants Associate and researcher at the Tropical Research Center (CITRO), Mexico, has won the Kleinhans 2019-2021 fellowship, granted by the Rainforest Alliance. This grant will allow him to investigate timber forest management in agricultural areas in the state of Veracruz, Mexico.
Learn more.
Charles M. Peters. 2018. Managing the Wild: Stories of People and Plants and Tropical Forests. New York Botanical Garden / Yale University Press.
Drawn from People and Plants Advisor Charles M. Peters’s thirty-five years of fieldwork around the globe, these absorbing stories argue that the best solutions for sustainably managing tropical forests come from the people who live in them.
Purchase here.