Managing Water Our water resources face huge pressure from population growth, climate change and pollution. Improved water management plays a vital role in increasing food production and reducing food insecurity.

How can we manage our water resources more efficiently? River deltas River deltas are formed by the progressive depositing of sediment picked up and carried by rivers during their journey. They perform a vital role for entire regions as agricultural land and for fish farming. They are also at the centre of delicate and fragile ecosystems. Nearly all deltas have been impacted by humans, with some cases of extreme ecological damage resulting from damming and pollution. Natural processes, climate and human activity are closely linked in these areas. Continued sustainable food production requires careful, long-term management that takes into account economic, environmental and social concerns. UNESCO networks include several river deltas across the world, from the Danube Delta (WH, BR; Romania and Ukraine) to the Paranà Delta (BR; Argentina), and the Okawango Delta (WH; Botswana). Rivers and lakes Lakes and rivers are home to particular living habitats, where human action, fauna and flora co-exist and inter-relate in a delicate balance and a constant state of evolution that can easily be disrupted. Water forms part of complex ‘open ecosystems’ that generate crucial resources and services for humankind. Besides being one of our main sources of drinking water, lakes and rivers can also be extremely fertile, providing excellent climatic conditions for agriculture, farming and fishing. A thorough understanding of the most appropriate and efficient management practices for water environments is therefore required. Many sites involved in UNESCO programmes are linked to lakes and fluvial systems in which food production plays a key role, such as the Rio San Juan (BR, Nicaragua), Redberry Lake (BR; Canada) and Ichkeul Lake (WH, BR; Tunisia). Coasts, islands and wetlands Ecosystems that are saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, have several environmental functions, such as water purification, flood control, carbon storage and the provision of resources to support

the food chain. Coastal areas are often delicate ecosystems and need careful protection from pollution and rising sea levels. Wetlands are considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems, home to a wide range of plant and animal life. It is estimated that 50% of the world's wetlands have been lost. UNESCO’s networks include many wetlands and coastal areas, such as the Camargue (BR, France), the Clayoquot Sound (BR, Canada) and the Banc d’Arguin (WH, Mauritania). Human activity has affected all these areas, impacting on fish stocks, food security and the livelihood of communities. Conservation of these fragile but critical ecosystems can only be achieved with the active participation of local communities. Irrigation and water distribution Since the dawn of civilization, maintaining a steady water supply has been a logistical challenge for humankind. Major civilization have left important reminders of the ingenious innovations introduced to ensure a steady water supply, many of which are recognized by UNESCO as outstanding examples of the world’s cultural heritage. These include Angkor (WH; Cambodia), the Palmeral of Elche (WH; Spain), and the Dujiangyan Irrigation System (WH; China). Despite progress in technology, the availability and distribution of fresh water remains a challenge for agriculture and dense population centres. Growing uncertainties linked to climate change, particularly in the form of drought and floods, raise huge questions on the sustainable management and distribution of water, both now and in the future. Traditional knowledge can help provide solutions. Water-adapted urban settlements Many historic settlements were planned – or evolved – to benefit from their water-dominated environments; they developed in such a way as to make the best use of local water resources or to adapt to landscapes shaped by water. Examples include world-renowned UNESCO designated sites such as the Old Town of Lijiang (WH; China) and the Sassi of Matera (WH; Italy). Human activity and the presence of water are profoundly interrelated in these systems, and food production is no exception. Lessons learned from these sites can be of great value for devising adaptive management systems, capable of combining natural and cultural preservation with the needs of contemporary urban planning and development.

LOOKING AFTER THE LAND Productive land is essential to the needs of humankind. Our ability to feed the world in the future largely depends on the sustainable use of this resource.

How can we nurture the land in the face of global challenges? Towns and cities As the world’s population is increasingly urbanized, the role of food production and distribution within cityplanning becomes more and more important. Lessons from our cultural heritage, as well as contemporary urban planning experiences, show us how our towns and cities can forge a sustainable relationship with productive land and the food resources that surround them. UNESCO’s networks include examples in many diverse settings, from the Historic Centre of Mexico City and the Chinampa agricultural system (WH, Mexico), to Ferrara and the Po Delta (WH, Italy), reminding us of the fragile but essential symmetry between rural and urban areas. Pioneering land-use systems The practice of domesticating plants and animals for agriculture dates back 12,000 years. Technological innovations have progressively increased efficiency and productivity. Many sites recognized by UNESCO throughout the world, however, have a long tradition of unique, pioneering land management techniques, which still have a lot to teach us. From the Land of Olives and Vines – Cultural Landscape of Southern Jerusalem, Battir (WH, Palestine) to drystone walling in Stari Grad plain in Hvar (WH, Croatia), safeguarding

this knowledge can help us to address modern day problems, from reviewing land use and consumption to environmental disaster response. The challenge is to continue to integrate new and traditional knowledge to make food production more sustainable. Hills and mountains Many hilly and upland areas are suffering from depopulation and agricultural abandonment. Through history, communities learnt to progressively adapt to the most hostile conditions, developing specific agricultural and farming techniques. Today, many of these achievements are at risk because of a failure to adapt to global market pressures and societal trends. This has a social and economic impact on the affected communities, but it also has serious environmental implications. Experiences from UNESCO’s global networks, such as the Cultural Landscape of the Serra de Tramuntana (WH, Spain) and the Viñales Valley (WH, Cuba) provide significant examples of how global trends and local needs can be effectively faced in such areas. Adapting to the land Shaped by a combination of natural forces and human intervention, agricultural landscapes embody a long and intimate relationship between people and their natural environment. Outstanding examples from UNESCO’s networks such as Pico Island (WH, Portugal) or the Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras (WH, Philippines) illustrate the link between cultural landscapes and unique, sometime extreme local conditions: they bear witness to our ability to adapt and face up to environmental challenges, making the most of local resources while at the same time contributing to their maintenance. Preserving vulnerable systems In some regions, the relationship between the land and human activity is especially delicate, determining a symbiotic but fragile alliance between protecting livelihoods and preserving the biological and hydrogeological balance. Abandonment or sudden alterations, caused for instance by poorly planned infrastructure development, can compromise the resilience of a site to degradation and natural disasters. Places like the Cinque Terre (WH, Italy), or the Ksar of Ait Ben Haddouand Oasis of south Morocco (WH, BR) remind us that using land sustainably requires us to learn from experiences where human development and environmental protection have progressed hand in hand.

BALANCING THE FOOD ECONOMY Food production and distribution stimulate economic growth. By drawing on the local cultural, social and natural environment, food-related practices can become more sustainable and create wider opportunities.

How can food production contribute to local economies in a fairer and more stable way? Traditional gastronomy The world is rich in unique and diverse gastronomic traditions, sourced from local ingredients and linked by a close relationship with local cultural and social contexts. UNESCO networks include several examples, from the Washoku traditional dietary cultures of the Japanese (ICH) to the Mediterranean Diet (ICH Cyprus, Croatia, Spain, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Portugal). Such practices bring with them wide-reaching benefits – to agriculture, tourism, transportation, the food processing industry, lodging and dining – and contribute to identity building and social cohesion. The safeguarding and transmission of these traditions, and of the knowledge on which they are based, is vital to preserving an equal, sustainable, and profitable food system. Rural communities Food plays a vital role in the social, economic and cultural life of many communities in rural areas. Traditional local methods of food production strengthen economic and social resilience, including that of minority groups: they foster identity and social cohesion through participation, creating opportunities for income generation and reducing reliance on imported goods. Cases like the Xing Kay Lake (BR; China), or the Camili Basin in Turkey (BR; Turkey) show how the lives and sustainability of local communities are strongly related to the preservation of their food environment.

Markets and fairs Throughout history, markets and fairs have brought people together to trade food, share knowledge and experiences, and create personal and intercultural relationships. Market places efficiently balance the local supply and demand of food, reducing waste of products and energy. They provide a valuable outlet for local small farmers and producers to support the economy while at the same time offering quality food to consumers at a fair price. Some of these sites – such as the Bazaar of Tabriz (WH; Islamic Republic of Iran), the Medina of Sousse (WH; Tunisia) or the Houtem annual winter fair and livestock market (ICH; Belgium) – have developed strong links to local history, culture and communities and have been designated by UNESCO as part of our shared cultural heritage. Food-based local development Some communities have succeeded in combining traditional food production methods with industrial development and competitive management and marketing systems. UNESCO networks include many such cases, ranging from the Tokaj region in Hungary (WH) to the Agave landscape and industrial facilities of Tequila, Mexico (WH), and the Ticino Valley in Italy (BR). Their experiences show us the importance of preserving collective knowledge of agrarian practices, while at the same time advancing it to cope with new global market challenges, fostering growth and creating entrepreneurial opportunities for local people. UNESCO Creative Cities Network The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to foster international co-operation among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development. The 69 member cities place creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans. They commit to sharing good practices, developing partnerships, reinforcing participation in cultural life and integrating culture in sustainable development plans. The Network covers seven creative fields: Craft and Folk Arts, Design, Film, Gastronomy, Literature, Media Arts and Music. The eight Creative Cities of the gastronomy cluster are particularly significant in relation to food sustainability, the topic presented in this exhibition.

PROTECTING DIVERSITY The biological and cultural diversity of the planet, key to our present and future well-being, is under threat. Ensuring its survival is a necessary step on the road to achieving a fairer and more sustainable food system.

Biological and cultural diversity are inextricably linked. So are the threats they face. Custodians of diversity The way we consume and produce food has become increasingly homogenized, resulting in the abandonment of traditional methods and the loss of endemic species. However, there are places in the world with exceptional biological and cultural diversity that is directly linked to nutrition. Farmers and communities have found ways to reinforce diverse traditions of food production, cultivation techniques and crop varieties, drawing on the diversity of their natural environment. From the Darién National Park (BR; WH; Panama) to the Valles de Leza (BR; Spain) and Dana Nature Reserve (BR;

Jordan), UNESCO advocates for their protection, and strives to ensure that their example reaches a global audience. Ecosystems: nature’s network for life The Earth’s surface is made up of interconnected ecosystems, geographical areas where living organisms and non-living elements, weather and landscape interact to form a network of life. Ranging from forests to more complex agro-ecosystems, they support human life and sustain local food chains. Today more than ever, the productivity of farmland within complex ecosystems requires a delicate balancing act between the rights, livelihoods and interests of different agents and environmental needs. Some of the sites designated by UNESCO, such as the Central Amazon Conservation Complex (WH, BR; Brazil), or the Manas Wildlife Sanctuary (WH, India) are particularly significant examples of the link between ecosystem management and local food sustainability. Cross-border co-operation Nature knows no boundaries. Cultures and civilizations, however, are constantly re-defining their borders, with the result that cultural and natural heritage often extends over different territories, acting as a bridge between countries and communities. Safeguarding heritage in cross-border areas is particularly challenging: it depends on people in different countries being willing to coordinate interests, tasks and responsibilities. These territories are also important in reinforcing international co-operation and intercultural dialogue. UNESCO’s networks bear witness to many of the challenges involved in cross-border areas where food production still plays an important role in local development: from Monviso and Queyras (BR; Italy and France) to the Trifinio-Fraternidad (BR; El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras), they show how diversity and cooperation represent key elements in adapting to change. Knowledge sharing and innovation Rural populations and their knowledge are instrumental in ensuring food security and maintaining a social and ecological balance over large tracts of land. Innovation is equally important in fostering development and responding to sustainability challenges. UNESCO designated sites such as Saint-Emilion (WH; France) or the Sierra de Manantlan (BR; Mexico) provide good examples of how traditional knowledge, research, and management policies can work together for the benefit of local communities and their environment. It is essential that the fundamental contribution of these communities is recognized and supported, for example through incentives to enable fair access to markets or policies aimed at combining local know-how with sustainable new techniques. Adapting to change In order to protect their livelihoods, territories and communities must be able to adapt to changes affecting their environment, be they of natural or human origin. Agricultural landscapes and communities are often forged by the long, gradual interaction between natural, social and economic factors linked to these changes. Some experiences from UNESCO’s networks – such as the Dolomites (WH; Italy), the Alto Douro (WH; Portugal) or Xishuangbana (BR; China) – are especially illustrative of the ability to successfully adapt to change. This depends on a combination of behaviour and policies and is deeply rooted in the ability to understand and manage the specificities of local territories.

FOSTERING PARTICIPATION Food-related practices have a social and cultural dimension, based on community participation. This is vital for building identities and supporting social cohesion and development.

How can collective action and responsibility make a difference? Community involvement The active involvement of local communities, smallholders and farmers in the management of land and the food-production chain can play a crucial role in developing a sustainable agricultural model. This is put into practice by many communities around the world who are part of UNESCO’s networks, in places like the Bassari country (WH; Senegal) or the Nedre Dalälven River Landscape (BR, Sweden). Their experiences show that participatory models can be effective in many respects: they ensure more balanced and reliable access to food; they help to develop fair, inclusive income-generation systems; and they help to preserve the cultural and natural resources on which they are based. Food rituals and ceremonies For many communities worldwide, the production of food and its use constitute an important part of social and religious life. Because of its importance in our daily lives, food acts as the perfect vehicle for rituals and ceremonies, passed down through the generations.

Collective food rituals and ceremonies,– such as those surrounding Turkish coffee (ICH; Turkey) and the Kimjang ritual for the making and sharing kimchi in the Republic of Korea (ICH) – offer excellent opportunities to learn from others. They help to govern agricultural and food distribution practices. They also encourage local production and trade and contribute to making nutritious food available and accessible to the local community. Traditional food production practices Traditional knowledge, be it applied to hunting, fishing, agriculture, resource management or food processing, rests on an intimate understanding of the natural and social environment. The handing-down of traditional food production practices through formal and informal methods, rooted in the culture of local communities, helps to sustain them in the long term. It is especially vital to smallholders, who deliver most of the food produced in developing nations. Cases such as shrimp fishing on horseback in Oostduinkerke (ICH, Belgium) and the Know-how of cultivating mastic on the island of Chios (ICH; Greece) can help us to better understand, value and safeguard this wealth.