Nonette Royo, executive director of the Tenure Facility, emphasizes the importance of utilizing the legal system to secure land rights for Indigenous and local communities in various countries. The organization aims to achieve land rights and governance for 60 million hectares of forested land by 2027, currently at roughly half that goal. They have made significant progress in securing land rights through legal, formal, and social means, with a focus on community-government alliances and trust-based community-led social mapping. The Tenure Facility has secured funding totaling $150 million, allowing them to scale operations and work towards accreditation with the Green Climate Fund. The conversation also touches on the importance of listening to diverse voices to foster collaboration and find sustainable solutions to climate-related challenges.
Author: News.mongabay
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From waffle gardens to terraces, Indigenous groups revive farming heritage in America’s deserts
Native American farmers in the southwestern United States, such as Clayton Brascoupe, Roxanne Swentzell, and Lilian Hill, are leading efforts to revitalize traditional weather-adaptive techniques like dry farming, terracing, and seed saving. These age-old farming methods are being shared to help communities in dry regions worldwide, promoting cultural identity, self-sufficiency, and better health through better food and traditional farming practices. By incorporating animals and insects into their farming practices, they create sustainable food systems that minimize waste and maximize resources. The COVID-19 pandemic has increased interest in these practices as access to fresh food became limited, highlighting the importance of spreading ancient agricultural wisdom globally to address concerns about climate change and drought.
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Regenerative fashion initiative in Indonesia wins 2025 Pritzker Environmental Genius Award
Denica Riadini-Flesch won UCLA's 2025 Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award for her "farm-to-closet" supply chain model with SukkhaCitta, which empowers rural women, regenerates land, and cuts pollution from synthetic dyes. The enterprise has restored over 120 acres of land, raised women's incomes by 60%, and teaches ecological literacy and entrepreneurship. The focus is on decentralized production in small farms and artisan workshops, using natural dyes and traditional techniques. Riadini-Flesch aims to show that rural artisans can lead the way in creating a regenerative future. Anthony Waddle is focusing on regenerating species, particularly the green and golden bell frog, through practical and audacious conservation methods. Seema Lokhandwala is using low-frequency sensors to detect elephant migration routes in India, reducing human-wildlife conflicts. These individuals are demonstrating how industry and conservation efforts can function more sustainably and effectively. The Pritzker Emerging Environmental Genius Award recognizes early-career leaders combining science and moral imagination to address ecological collapse, with a focus on education as key to success in environmental innovation. Riadini-Flesch sees the award as an invitation to expand her work globally, promoting an economy based on repairing the planet and caring for all living beings.