The Global Environment Facility (GEF) increasingly recognizes the central role of Indigenous Peoples across its portfolio. Numerous GEF-supported projects in biodiversity, land degradation, and sustainable forest management integrate Indigenous and traditional ecological knowledge into community-based conservation, restoration of degraded landscapes, crop protection, and sustainable yield improvement. Integrated programs in the Amazon, the Congo Basin, and other critical forest biomes now highlight Indigenous territories as global strongholds of biodiversity and carbon stocks, while promoting co-management approaches, recognition of customary land tenure, and strengthened Indigenous governance institutions.
This Brown Bag Lunch series shared concrete examples and good practices from the GEF portfolio, deepened a practical understanding of what Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge means in project design and implementation, and fostered dialogue among practitioners and experts. Discussions focused on challenges, enabling conditions, and actionable recommendations for meaningfully integrating Indigenous Peoples’ knowledge into GEF projects and decision-making processes, in support of nature-positive development pathways.
Moderator
- Jean-Marc Sinnassamy, Senior Environmental Specialist, GEF
Speakers
- Jeremie Mbairamadji, Senior Coordinator, Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, FAO
- Elizabeth Tania, Ukuncham Sharupi, Women & Family Leader, Federación Nacional Shuar de Pastaza
- Marius Ekue, Senior Scientist, CIAT/Bioversity Alliance
Respondents
- Mariela Orsono Muñoz, Researcher, Instituto Sinchi, Colombia.
- Tania Martinez-Cruz, Indigenous Peoples’ Focal Point, GEF
- David Ainsworth, Senior Communications Officer, GEF
Closing Remarks
- Kristen Walker Painemilla, Senior Vice-President, Community-Led Solutions Partnership team, CI
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