The World Indigenous Network Conference, held in Darwin, Australia, brought together over one thousand indigenous people and local community land and sea managers from the 26th to the 29th of May. The meeting provided an opportunity for indigenous peoples and local communities to share their experiences on community based natural resource management techniques through the hundreds of presentations that took place over the 4-day meeting. The presentations highlighted the growing emergence of community led conservation, which has concurrently demonstrated stronger community identity, culture and livelihoods. Keynote speakers at the event included Professor James Anaya, UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Professor Anil Gupta, founder of the Honey Bee Network and Dr. Taghi Farvar, President, Indigenous Peoples and Community Conserved Territories and Areas (ICCA) Consortium.
Gino Cocchiaro (Natural Justice) and Hassan Roba (Kivulini Trust, Kenya) presented on community protocols as a tool in securing stewardship rights. The presentation and discussion focused on the Borana pastoralists of northern Kenya who are developing a community protocol as a basis for their community land and resource management plans. The Borana pastoralists of Kenya are members of the African Bio-cultural Community Protocols Initiative, which is currently partnering with communities in 9 countries in the region.
More information on the World Indigenous Network, as well as videos of the presentations, can be found at: http://www.worldindigenousnetwork.net/conference-video
