#indigenous-knowledge — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #indigenous-knowledge, aggregated by home.social.
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Nutrition programs work better when they include #Indigenous food knowledge
Researchers found nutrition programs work better when they include Indigenous food knowledge, local languages, and traditional practices.
By Raquel Brandao, July 24, 2026
Excerpt: "Cameras, cooking and conversation
"Some things worked. #Storytelling, #workshops, and #CookingDemonstrations turned up again and again across the 39 studies, alongside #TalkingCircles, #ShortFilms and #SmartphoneApps.
"The common thread is direction. Each of these methods lets people speak in their own words rather than sit and receive instruction.
"In #NewZealand ( #Aotearoa ), researchers built a mobile health app together with #Māori and #Pasifika partners. The language, the stories, and the pictures all came from the communities the app was meant for.
"Speaking with Earth.com, Rao described a project she led. 'In my own work, and one of the papers reviewed, I have used cameras and #DigitalTools with young women and men in an Indigenous community in #India to document their traditional food knowledges by speaking to the elders, visiting the forests and local markets, talking to women engaged in #foraging and #FoodPreparation.'
"That project is one of the 39 studies in the review. An earlier paper followed ten Santhal young people in eastern India who were trained to make films.
"They made nearly 50 films and screened them in their own villages. Older relatives supplied much of what went into them.
Elders as teachers
"Who holds the knowledge matters as much as what the knowledge is. #Elders, #healers, #farmers, and #women each carry different parts of it.
"None of it arrives as a curriculum. It moves between generations through cooking, gathering and long conversation, which is exactly what a nutrition leaflet cannot carry.
" 'Reclaiming and recognising #IndigenousKnowledge , values and practices to address the different elements of nutrition and health involves recognising intergenerational and wider social relations, and engaging everyone from the elders, healers, educators and farmers to service providers, policymakers and academics, to together raise issues and find solutions,' said Rao.
"Traditional foods carry knowledge of the local landscape in a way nothing else does. The review treats them as practical resources rather than heritage."
#SolarPunkSunday #Technology #IndigenousCommunities #TraditionalKnowledge #TraditionalDiets #FoodForests #Foraging #SharingKnowledge #PreservingCulture #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge #FoodKnowledge #TraditionalFoods
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How #Australia combines modern tech and #IndigenousKnowledge to fight #wildfires
by Lana Lam, 1 August 2026
Excerpt: "Yebra has spearheaded an innovative project, bringing together millennia-old knowledge in Australia's #Indigenous communities with cutting-edge #SatelliteImagery to help detect where fires are most likely to break out.
The satellite images pick up the 'fuel moisture content' in the landscape, which signals where there might be a large amount of fuel, such as dry leaves, grass, shrubs and bark. But such data provides just one part of a bigger picture.
"That's where the likes of Adrian Webster come in.
"Growing up on the south coast of New South Wales (NSW), Webster learnt how to read the environment or 'country' - the term Indigenous Australians use for their ancestral homeland – from his elders.
"Using Indigenous ecological knowledge – a plant's colour and scent, for example, or the shade cover of trees - he can verify information in the satellite images from Yebra's team.
" 'She had all this amazing data, but there was no translation to what it meant on the ground, so it was kind of useless,' he explains.
" 'But through an Indigenous perspective, it was not useless. It was a map that could guide you through the country and, if you understood it, take you directly into a place that is ready to burn.'
"For Webster, assessing the land involves him 'literally digging and going underground,' he says.
" 'We're looking at the subsurface level and then everything from that up beyond the canopy.'
"Yebra said there was a 'remarkable agreement' between Webster's local knowledge and the satellite data, demonstrating the combined value of Indigenous expertise and Western science."
Read more:
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czdmvr984yyoArchived version:
https://archive.ph/CtF6c#SolarPunkSunday #ClimateChange #WildfirePrevention #Australia #IndigenousKnowledge #Science #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge
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Chinampas Agricultural System in Mexico City, Mexico
https://www.fao.org/giahs/giahs-around-the-world/mexico-chinampas-agricultural-system/en#SolarPunkSunday #ArcaTierra #Farms #Agriculture #Ecosystems #Farming #ResilientCitiesNetwork #Mexico #IndigenousKnowledge
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Chinampas Agricultural System in Mexico City, Mexico
https://resilientcitiesnetwork.org/arca-tierra-eng/#SolarPunkSunday #ArcaTierra #Farms #Agriculture #Ecosystems #Farming #ResilientCitiesNetwork #Mexico #IndigenousKnowledge
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In #Guatemala, #Indigenous women build #ClimateResilience with old and new farming methods
#AncestralKnowledge combined with #climatesmart techniques is boosting #FoodSecurity and increasing family incomes in the #LakeAtitlán region
Adam Wentworth, July 2, 2026
Excerpt: "The impacts of #ClimateChange on Indigenous communities can often lead to further #environmental damage as farmers are forced to rely on unsustainable practices, such as cutting down trees to clear more land. This can accelerate water scarcity, soil erosion and ultimately food insecurity.
"An ongoing adaptation project led by Natün has sought to reverse these impacts, working with local people to combine modern climate-smart agriculture and ancestral knowledge. The approach involves the use of #DroughtResistant crops, organic pest management and #SoilConservation techniques. This is increasingly recognised as an effective way to strengthen climate resilience.
" 'Our approach is based on soil analysis and the use of locally resilient, endemic tree species, significantly increasing survival rates and ensuring sustainable water availability despite changing rainfall patterns,' Wason explained."
#SolarPunkSunday #NaturalPestControl #ClimateChangeGardening #SoilHealth #IndigenousKnowledge #TEK #Stewardship #OrganicFarming #Mayan #NewTechnology #NahualateRiverBasin #AgriculturalResilience #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge
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The Wind River Tribal Buffalo Initiative
"Our vision is Buffalo living as wildlife, protected under Tribal law....Before 1800, it is estimated that 60 million Buffalo roamed the plains of North America. By 1900, there were fewer than two dozen left in Yellowstone."
https://windriverbuffalo.org/#SolarPunkSunday #Buffalo #Nature #WildLife #BioDiversity #ReWilding #WindRiverTribalBuffaloInitiative #IndigenousKnowledge
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In Brazil, Guarani beekeeper Marcio Karai nurtures native stingless bees in the Jaragua Indigenous Territory—transferring colonies to new hives as ecosystems shift. His community links meliponiculture to ceremony and conservation. 🐝🌿 #Biodiversity #ClimateAction #IndigenousKnowledge https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/brazil-indigenous-bees/
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📰 Indigenous Beekeepers Safeguard Native Stingless Bees
🌎 Brazil: Guarani beekeeper Marcio Karai and his community are expanding efforts to care for native stingless bee species and pass traditional knowledge to younger generations.
🐝 Community members transfer wild nests into managed wooden hives and maintain meliponaries that support local pollinator populations.
🤝 Indigenous stewardship offers a locally led conservation model that protects pollinators while preserving cultural knowledge and ecological resilience.
🔗 https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/brazil-indigenous-bees/
#InsectSaturday #NativeBees #IndigenousKnowledge #Conservation #Biodiversity #Pollinators
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The Coalition of Indigenous Peoples of Brazil (APIB) and its regional grassroots organizations launched on Wednesday (5) the political vision for Brazil titled “Our Territory, Our Life.”
The proposal outlines a vision for Brazil developed by the indigenous movement and establishes the demarcation and protection of all Indigenous Lands by 2030 as a central commitment.
#Indigenous #APIB #Brazil #LandBack #IndigenousKnowledge
https://apiboficial.org/2026/08/05/movimento-indigena-lanca-projeto-de-pais-e-apresenta-compromissos-urgentes-aos-tres-poderes/ -
Indigenous Knowledge Contributes to Healthier, More Resilient Food Systems
📰 A new global review shows that traditional food knowledge isn’t just cultural heritage, it’s a climate‑health policy asset.
🌾 Researchers found that when governments and health systems center Indigenous worldviews (unfortunately rare), food literacy improves, communities stay healthier, and food systems become more resilient in the face of climate change.
🌍 Revitalizing traditional food practices can help address hunger, biodiversity loss, and climate‑driven health risks, while empowering communities to lead solutions.
🔗 https://phys.org/news/2026-07-indigenous-knowledge-key-healthier-sustainable.html
#ClimateChange #FoodSystems #IndigenousKnowledge #PublicHealth #Biodiversity #Sustainability
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#IndigenousGardens in #Ontario
" #Indigenous gardens and other special places are designed for people to gather, learn, heal, reflect and celebrate the diverse and rich #FirstNations, #Inuit and #Métis cultures.
"From the banks of the St. Marys River in #SaultSainteMarie and #LakeSuperior in #ThunderBay to downtown #Toronto, learn about the important role of Indigenous gardens in honouring #IndigenousCulture and knowledge in Ontario.
"Traditional plants, including the four sacred medicines — #sage, #tobacco, #cedar and #sweetgrass — are often integral to Indigenous gardens.
- Sage is often used in smudging, where the smoke is washed over participants to cleanse away negative energy.
- Cedar is a protective medicine that can be used as cedar tea, cedar baths or hung in the home to guard against bad elements.
- Sweetgrass is a kindness medicine. It reminds us to be good to others, the world and ourselves.
- Tobacco is a relationship medicine offered to start things: before a harvest, before a hunt, before asking for assistance from an Elder or to start the day. It opens up communication and ushers in good energy."Learn more about Indigenous gardens in Ontario and their significance. This is a short list of the many Indigenous gardens across the province. Please respect these Indigenous spaces, as not all gardens are open to the public."
Learn more:
https://www.destinationontario.com/en-ca/articles/indigenous-gardens-ontario#SolarPunkSunday #Canada #FirstNations #CulturalPreservation #TraditionalAgriculture #TraditionalMedicine #MedicinalPlants #IndigenousKnowledge
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The war on drugs didn't just criminalize substances — it erased centuries of indigenous knowledge about them. DoubleBlind has been doing the work of recovery. Excellent interview.
#Psychedelics #MentalHealth #PsilocybinResearch #DrugPolicy #IndigenousKnowledge
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The rush for critical minerals is repeating an ongoing history Indigenous communities know well
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A cave in GunaiKurnai Country holds 25,000 years of burnt grass, laid down layer by layer, plus a standing stone erected 2,000 years ago. New phytolith evidence backs up what oral tradition always said. #Archaeology #IndigenousKnowledge #Archaeobotany https://www.anthropology.net/p/grasses-of-grief-and-ghosts-what
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Recent concerns about ecosystem impacts of moose in Colorado have framed moose as a non-native species, following their (re)introduction in the 1970s. However, compiling scattered archaeological evidence, historical records, and indigenous knowledge has produced evidence that moose were historically native to the Rockies.
Summary: https://scitechdaily.com/new-research-challenges-a-long-held-myth-about-colorado-moose/
Original paper: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jbi.70279
#Science #Ecology #Nature #Moose #Colorado #Rockies #Archaeology #IndigenousKnowledge
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#IndigenousKnowledge is crucial in the fight against #ClimateChange – here’s why
Explainers
July 31, 2024Summary
- Indigenous Peoples are custodians of unique knowledge and practices that emphasize the balance between humans and the natural world.
- Many Indigenous traditional practices offer effective climate solutions, such as sustainable agriculture systems and climate-resilient water management.
- By safeguarding key ecosystems that act as carbon sinks and protect #biodiversity, #IndigenousPeoples provide an environmental service to the rest of the world. However, they are frequently excluded from decision-making processes and their rights to lands and resources are not always respected.
- It is impossible to achieve the goals of the #ParisAgreement without full and effective participation of Indigenous Peoples and their free, prior and #InformedConsent.
- Governments must fully recognize the rights of Indigenous Peoples, provide them with direct access to climate finance and capacity building, and integrate Indigenous knowledge into climate policy."#SolarPunkSunday #LandBack #Conservation #Biodiversity
#CommunityMonitoring #Stewardship
#TEK #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge -
I found this via @supersquirrel !
#IndigenousLands are crucial for #ClimateMitigation and #resilience.
Research shows their health is a direct result of #IndigenousStewardship.
"As the impacts of #ClimateChange continue to escalate, a growing number of climate scientists and policymakers cite Indigenous lands as a model for their rich #biodiversity and effective carbon storage. But that recognition has not always translated into space for Indigenous leaders in climate negotiations, access to #ClimateResilience funding, or enforcement of #HumanRights standards.
"That has been the case for decades. But the problems do not stop there. New research shows that approach overlooks the key role that Indigenous knowledge and culture can play in mitigating climate change. It also reveals a dangerous misconception that has taken hold in global climate discussions: the idea that Indigenous lands are so rich because they are remote or sparsely populated.
"Nothing could be further from the truth. The health of Indigenous lands and their ability to store vast quantities of carbon stem from the stewardship of the people who inhabit them.
"That’s the finding of research from Conservation International, which shows that traditional knowledge, community protocol, and Indigenous culture play a direct role in protecting forests, wildlife, and the environment. Sushma Shrestha, who is #Indigenous #Newar from #Nepal and the study’s lead author, said the research comes at a critical time.
" 'All of humanity relies on everything that #IndigenousPeoples have to contribute and offer in terms of their lands, in terms of carbon storage, in terms of biodiversity conservation,' she said.
"The study, released as a narrative report and a peer-reviewed study, explores how #IndigenousKnowledge and practices benefit the planet. It also found that all 43 of the surveyed communities are experiencing drought, extreme weather, and other adverse impacts from climate change. More than half are affected by #ExtractiveIndustries like #mining and #logging.
"Researchers interviewed 49 Indigenous leaders from six continents about how they steward their land, which ranged from the Amazon rainforest to East African savannas and Pacific Islands. They found that traditional management practices like avoiding #overfishing, maintaining sacred spaces, watching for fires and other threats, and direct resistance against extraction contribute to the remarkable health of Indigenous territory. Ninety-six percent of respondents said they had land set aside for special uses, like spiritual practices, that also benefit the environment by protecting those spaces and ecosystems. Shrestha stressed that although each Indigenous community is distinct, there are shared lessons the entire world can learn from.
" 'It’s a time where all hands need to be on deck,' Shrestha said. 'And collectively, actions need to be taken, and indigenous peoples have been doing this on their own for a very long time.'
"The study builds on years of research that shows, among other things, that the world’s healthiest forests are on Indigenous lands and conservation efforts are more effective when they incorporate Indigenous autonomy and decision-making at every step."
Read more [includes some really good links to articles]:
https://sopuli.xyz/post/47753605#SolarPunkSunday #SolarPunk #LandBack #CommunityMonitoring #Stewardship #TEK #IndigenousSolarPunk #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge
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honoring #IndigenousKnowledge & traditions - and protecting their rights - can be quite helpful in #nature preservation & reacting to the #ClimateCrisis
RE: https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:nrepv6pvm5zcexreteqt4axg/post/3mptijqfyko23 -
Finding a lever for civilizational transformation
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#WasteReduction & The #CircularEconomy in #Aotearoa / #NewZealand
Excerpt: Embracing the Circular Economy in NZ
"Traditionally, our economy operates on a linear ‘take-make-dispose’ model. Resources are extracted, products are manufactured, consumed, and then thrown away. The circular economy, however, aims to keep resources in use for as long as possible, extract the maximum value from them whilst in use, then recover and regenerate products and materials at the end of their service life.
'The circular economy isn’t just about #recycling; it’s a fundamental rethinking of how we design, produce, and consume, creating a system that is #restorative and #regenerative by design.'
"For New Zealand, embracing this model is more than an environmental choice; it’s an economic imperative. By reducing our reliance on virgin resources and minimising waste, we can build a more #resilient, innovative, and #sustainable economy, perfectly aligned with #Māori principles of #kaitiakitanga – #guardianship of the land and resources."
Read more:
https://sustainableliving.org.nz/waste-reduction-circular-economy/#SolarPunkSunday #Caretakers #IndigenousKnowledge #ZeroWaste #DonutEconomy #ReuseRestoreRepair #RepairCafes #BorrowDontBuy #Recycling #RightToRepair #SolarPunk
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#HamiltonNZ - #TeParaparaGarden: Explore the Captivating Māori Cultural Experience in Hamilton
Updated August 2025
"At the #HamiltonGardens,Te Parapara Garden, nestled within the renowned Hamilton Gardens in Hamilton, New Zealand, offers a captivating glimpse into Māori cultural heritage. Recognized as the only complete pre-European-style Māori horticultural garden in the world, it showcases the traditions of the #NgātiWairere people. As you wander through, you’ll encounter authentic structures and native plants that reflect ancient gardening practices and a profound connection to the land. The garden also provides educational experiences and guided tours, inviting you to delve into the rich history and spirituality of this cultural treasure.
Major Highlights of Te Parapara Garden
- Te Parapara Garden showcases traditional Māori gardening practices, emphasizing deep cultural significance and ancestral ties to the #Waikato region.
- Unique structures like the #Waharoa (gateway) and #Pātaka (#storehouse) highlight traditional Māori architecture and storytelling through intricate carvings.
- Seasonal displays of vibrant flora and educational programs enrich the visitor experience throughout the year in Hamilton Gardens.
- Guided tours and workshops offer insights into ancient horticultural skills and sustainable practices rooted in Māori culture.
- The serene environment and well-designed pathways create a peaceful space for reflection, celebrating Māori heritage in a unique setting."#SolarPunkSunday #MāoriGardens
#CulturalRestoration #TeParapara #CulturalPreservation #IndigenousKnowledge
#Aotearoa #Gardens #NewZealand -
#HamiltonNZ - #TeParapara, The World’s Only #TraditionalMāoriGarden Was Made From Memories
Once gardens, then a garbage dump, then back to gardens.
by Anne Ewbank July 11, 2019
"The city of Hamilton, on New Zealand’s North Island, is cradled by the long #WaikatoRiver. For centuries, the #Tainui tribes of the #Māori cultivated massive gardens here. Even after European contact, they grew crops for themselves and to sell to new settlers. But by the mid-19th century, the gardens were gone.
"At the #HamiltonGardens, one has returned. The complex is something of a garden paradise. Many botanical gardens feature Japanese gardens and kitchen gardens. Hamilton has those. Not too many gardens have a Modernist garden and a steampunk blimp. But Hamilton also has something unique: Te Parapara, a recreated, pre-European Māori garden.
"The Hamilton Gardens got off to a humble start, says director Dr. Peter Sergel. Not long ago, the site of the gardens 'was the rubbish dump for the whole city.' As a child, he remembers the site swarming with seagulls and rats. While it was an interesting romping ground, Sergel grew up and became a landscape architect. Forty years ago, he drew up the plans for a facility that would take visitors through thousands of years of garden history. According to him, a Māori garden was always on the menu.
'It’s part of our tradition, and culture, and heritage,' he says."Read more:
https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/maori-garden#SolarPunkSunday #MāoriGardens #CulturalRestoration #CulturalPreservation #IndigenousKnowledge #Aotearoa #Gardens #NewZealand
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#RepairNetworkAotearoa - #KnowledgeHub
Guides and Tools
"Access essential tools and resources to support your repair journey and strengthen #CulturalConnections. From #TeReo #Māori vocabulary for #RepairCafés to practical brochures and safety guides, these resources help communities create inclusive, effective repair events that honor both sustainability and #IndigenousKnowledge in #Aotearoa."
https://www.repairnetworkaotearoa.org.nz/guides-and-tools
#SolarPunkSunday #CircularEconomy #DoughnutEconomy #TeTiritiOWaitangi #RepairCafes #ReuseRestoreRepair #RightToRepair #FixIt #RepairCafesAotearoa #RepairCafesNewZealand
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#NewZealand - #RepairNetworkAotearoa
"Repair Network Aotearoa is a national collective driving behaviour, cultural, and structural change through repair. Underpinned by Te Tiriti o Waitangi, we connect and empower communities, advocate for the Right to Repair, and grow Aotearoa’s circular and repair economy while amplifying #Māori-led approaches and research.
Repair Network #Aotearoa (RNA) is a community-led organisation transforming Aotearoa through the #stewardship of repair and the growth of a #CircularEconomy.
"Repair Network Aotearoa (RNA) is championing a culture of repair across Aotearoa New Zealand, guided by our commitment to honouring #TeTiritiOWaitangi. We connect and support repair cafés, educators, businesses, councils, and advocates working together to make repair accessible, valued, and normalised. Through coordination, resourcing, and advocacy, we strengthen repair at community, educational, economic, and policy levels. Together, we're building resilient communities, reducing waste, and creating systemic change towards a circular, low-carbon future.
"Explore the history of Repair Cafés, find upcoming events near you, and connect with local repair communities. Whether you want to learn new skills, share your expertise, or fix something broken, Repair Cafés welcome everyone. Interested in starting a Repair Café in your community? We provide resources and support to help you get started."
Learn more:
https://www.repairnetworkaotearoa.org.nz/repair-cafes#SolarPunkSunday #DoughnutEconomy #RepairCafes #RepairCafesAotearoa #ReuseRestoreRepair #RightToRepair #FixIt #Indigenousknowledge
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#NewZealand / #Aotearoa #CommunityGardens - #NUWAO
"NUWAO aims to develop #NatureBased #UrbanDesign solutions, rooted in #Indigenousknowledges that support #ClimateChange adaptation and individual and community wellbeing in different contexts across Aotearoa and #Oceania.
Relationship to #IndigenousKnowledge
Indigenous communities worldwide have cultivated land for generations, crafting sustainable agricultural techniques in harmony with nature and rooted in local ecosystems. Throughout #TeMoananui Oceania, a rich diversity of TraditionalAgriculture and #agroforestry practices exists (Thaman, 1994, Thaman et al., 2006), and can be the basis of, or integrate into community gardens.
Community gardens can blend traditional methods, Indigenous #EcologicalKnowledge, and cultural values into their design, plant selection, and upkeep. Community gardens serve as vital spaces for honouring and preserving indigenous knowledge. They embrace traditional plant varieties, cultivation methods, and seasonal cycles passed down through generations.
Moreover, these gardens act as hubs for intergenerational knowledge exchange, with elders imparting wisdom to younger members, ensuring the continuity of traditional practices. These gardens can also foster #CulturalExchange and understanding, offering platforms for Indigenous and non-Indigenous individuals to come together, learn from one another, and foster mutual respect. By embracing Indigenous knowledge, community gardens can not only bolster environmental #sustainability and food security but also fortify #CulturalResilience and advocate for #SocialJustice."
Learn more:
https://nuwao.org.nz/community-gardens/#SolarPunkSunday #CommunityGardens #BuildingCommunity #FoodSecurity
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The Amazon's ancient chagra farming system thrives, blending food production with biodiversity. It demonstrates how traditional knowledge supports both people and ecosystems.
#GoodNews #Agriculture #Sustainability #Amazon #IndigenousKnowledge #Nature
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📰 Ancient Maya Knowledge is Helping Farmers Cut Agrochemical Use
🌱 Guatemala: Farmers are drawing on traditional practices to manage soil health and crops without reliance on synthetics.
🌽 These methods emphasize biodiversity, crop diversity, and long-term land stewardship rather than short-term yield maximization.
🤝 Another example of how Indigenous knowledge can offer practical, low-cost alternatives, especially as farmers face rising costs and environmental pressure from conventional agriculture.
#Permaculture #Sustainability #SustainableAgriculture #Biodiversity #Environment #Agroecology #SoilHealth #IndigenousKnowledge #NatureBasedSolutions
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In defense of “nature”: why the word still matters in the age of AI
