Indigenous, Traditional & Local Knowledge Systems

Long before soil science had a name, farmers were reading their land — knowing which slope held moisture, which plants signalled fertile ground, which old variety would survive a hard year. This accumulated wisdom, refined over generations and tuned to specific places, represents one of agriculture's richest and most endangered resources. Indigenous, Traditional & Local Knowledge Systems is the session that takes this knowledge seriously, not as folklore but as sophisticated, place-tested understanding worthy of study and respect.

Such knowledge is often dismissed as primitive or anecdotal, yet it frequently encodes ecological insight that formal science is only now confirming. Traditional polycultures, indigenous seed-saving, customary water and land governance, and local soil and weather indicators have sustained communities through centuries of variability. Honouring traditional and indigenous farming knowledge means more than recording it before it vanishes; it means engaging with its holders as partners, integrating their insight with scientific methods, and ensuring communities retain ownership and benefit from what they know.

This session brings together indigenous and local practitioners, ethno-agronomists, and researchers committed to respectful collaboration. The programme covers traditional cropping and agroecological practices, indigenous seed and genetic stewardship, customary resource governance, local ecological indicators, and the ethics of documenting and sharing such knowledge fairly. Participants at this Agriculture Conference will explore how blending traditional wisdom with modern science can yield resilient, locally adapted solutions — while confronting the real risks of appropriation, erosion, and loss, and the responsibility to protect both the knowledge and the rights of those who hold it.