Pacific Indigenous farmers have sustained resilient food systems for generations. This side event explores how Indigenous knowledge, culture and custodianship can be passed on to and strengthened through youth leadership, ensuring that these living traditions continue to build climate resilience and food security in a changing climate. Across the Pacific, Indigenous Peoples have sustained resilient food systems for generations through deep relationships with land, ocean and biodiversity. Traditional ecological knowledge, customary governance and intergenerational practices have enabled communities to adapt to environmental change while protecting livelihoods, ecosystems and cultural identity. As climate impacts intensify, Indigenous knowledge remains essential to climate adaptation and resilient food systems. This side event will showcase how Pacific Indigenous farmers apply traditional farming, agroforestry, crop diversity, customary resource management, seasonal knowledge and community stewardship to strengthen resilience to climate change and disasters. The discussion will explore how Indigenous knowledge and scientific innovation can work together to support adaptation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable food systems. It will highlight the role of young people in learning, applying and adapting traditional knowledge while contributing new ideas, technologies and advocacy. Strengthening intergenerational knowledge exchange is vital to keeping these traditions alive. The event will recognise Indigenous Peoples, including Indigenous youth, as knowledge holders, rights holders and leaders whose voices must shape climate policy, finance and implementation. Protecting Indigenous knowledge and supporting youth leadership are fundamental to safeguarding Pacific food systems and advancing effective, locally led climate solutions.

Venue

Moana Blue Pacific Pavilion

Speakers

Barbara Tomi (Papua New Guinea), Alan Petersen (Fiji), Lyndellar Sanau (Solomon Islands), Taaloga Apa (Samoa)