Conserving Agricultural Heritage and Revitalizing Communities in the Asia Pacific Region

This book is an important milestone in our understanding of the development and use of the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (FAO, GIAHS) and Building Back Better (BBB) community resilience initiatives. GIAHS was designed by the FAO to conserve important agricultural heritage sites of the world through active coordination with local farming communities. Since its inauguration, the program has recognized several extraordinary agricultural systems in the Asia Pacific and in Japan, ranging from the Ifugao terraces in the Philippines to the Satoyama-Satoumi traditional landscapes throughout Japan. The book looks at the key functions of traditional agriculture while promoting their use in regional revitalization through the promotion of conservation, traditional knowledge, multilateral engagement, and rural tourism. Also, during the discussions on the Sendai Framework, the concept of ‘Build Back Better’ was proposed by the Japanese delegation where communities can use a disaster as a trigger to create more resilient nations and societies than before. Our compilation of conceptual and empirical research findings shows the way forward for community understanding of sustainable practices.