ICCA Consortium

Statement by the ICCA Consortium to the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in Yerevan, Armenia

First published on 10/21/2026

By the ICCA Consortium

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Agenda Item 18(d) at the 17th meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP17) to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) covers biodiversity and agriculture in the context of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KM-GBF).

As the Parties move forward with the implementation of the KM-GBF, it is crucial to link the realities of ICCAs–territories of life with Target 10, which seeks to ensure that areas used for agricultural, aquaculture, and forestry production are managed in a sustainable and resilient manner and in harmony with biodiversity.

From our territories, we have carefully analyzed the contributions that agroecological systems make to the entire world as models of community-based management and conservation, promoting agricultural systems based on traditional knowledge and agroecological practices that regenerate soil, water, and biodiversity, functioning as spaces of connectivity at the landscape scale. Furthermore, community-based agricultural systems are key to addressing climate change, as they help maintain healthy and diversified ecosystems. Similar conclusions are reported by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which states with a high level of confidence that “agricultural practices that incorporate Indigenous and local knowledge can help address the combined challenges of climate change, food security, biodiversity conservation, and the fight against desertification and land degradation.”

However, we are deeply concerned about the following:

Water, land, territory, and agriculture: Target 10 does not sufficiently address community-based water governance or land and territorial tenure rights, which are essential for sustainable agricultural production.
Seeds and farmers’ rights: There is a lack of explicit recognition of the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities to conserve, exchange, and improve native seeds.
Impacts of industrial agriculture: A more robust debate and stronger decisions are needed on the negative effects of monocultures, agrochemicals, and intensive farming systems on biodiversity and community health.
Intersectionality: Target 10 should integrate approaches that take into account gender, youth, and Afro-descendant peoples in the agriculture-biodiversity relationship—that is, a more explicit link to Targets 22 and 23.
Inclusive markets: There has been a lack of emphasis on the need for value chains that recognize and fairly compensate community-based agroecological products.
Climate resilience and a just transition: More severe droughts, erratic rainfall, and other effects of climate change directly impact the production systems of Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities; therefore, support that is free from dependence on fossil fuels and other false solutions must be at the center of the debate.

The ICCA Consortium therefore urges the Parties to ensure that the implementation of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework views agriculture not solely as production, but as a living system of interactions among communities, territories, and biodiversity. Recognizing and supporting ICCAs–territories of life is essential to achieving a just transition toward sustainable, resilient, and culturally diverse agri-food systems. To achieve this, the following is needed:

Incorporate ICCAs as key actors in the implementation of Target 10, recognizing their contributions to agricultural biodiversity.
Adopt binding commitments to reduce the use of agrochemicals and promote the agroecological transition.
Guarantee direct funding for Indigenous Peoples and Local Communities that manage sustainable agricultural systems.
Recognize and protect rights to native seeds, ensuring that agricultural policies do not favor corporations alone.
Include indicators of biocultural diversity in the monitoring of Target 10, measuring not only biological biodiversity but also associated cultural biodiversity.
Promote fair-trade policies that integrate community-produced goods into sustainable and solidarity-based value chains.
Strengthen water governance as an integral part of sustainable agriculture.

Statement on Agriculture and Biodiversity in the Context of CBD COP17 Agenda Item 18(d)

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