November 2014: The Land and Water Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) launched its 11th working paper, titled ‘Territorial Development and Local Knowledge Systems.’ The paper argues that agricultural development efforts should support the practical integration of different knowledge systems in various areas and sectors of agriculture to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The text discusses basic concepts around knowledge, land and territory, and illustrates different ways of thinking of knowledge system processes as they relate to agricultural stakeholder rights. It emphasizes the need for innovative and inclusive participatory processes for engaging local knowledge users in order to diversify knowledge use and support sustainable natural resource management.

The paper has six sections: Introduction and Key Concepts; Local Knowledge and Energy; Local Knowledge Systems and Land; Linking Local Knowledge Systems and Natural Resource Governance; Field Examples of Effective, Inclusive and Participatory Territorial Development; and a section dedicated to conclusions. [Publication: Territorial Development and Local Knowledge Systems]