Ten years have passed since the Noto’s Satoyama and Satoumi was recognized as the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Initially, the GIAHS designation was mainly for developing countries, which reevaluates and recognizes their small-scale agricultural systems adapted to the local climatic conditions while maintaining unique cultural traditions. Noto is the first region in Japan to be recognized as a GIAHS site, with the same time award of Sado Island

The United Nations University (UNU) has been assessing the value of the GIAHS site from an academic perspective and has also been collaborating with various stakeholders in the region to practice the GIAHS’s concept. At the international conference to mark the 10-year milestone, we will reflect on what the GIAHS recognition has brought to the region and its significance and will also discuss issues and roadmaps for the future. In addition, together with experts and people concerned from Japan and abroad, we will also discuss the cases of other GIAHS sites around the world and their collaboration.  Furthermore, Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (OUIK) of the UNU, Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS), is planning to hold a Youth Summit as a side event during this conference period. Details of the event will be announced soon