In my humble opinion, some communities and local stakeholder stand out as inspiring pioneers ( we call them “creatives”today) I thank the gift and opportunity to interact with them through the years. They awed and inspired us as we learned from each other. (*** note in another part of this blog, we cite mentors and colleagues who also guided us)
PHILIPPINES
- The swidden white corn and sweet potato framers of very steep lands of the island spine of Cebu province
- Boholano heirloom rice farmers and part time tree farmers in Northwest Bohol
- Traditional ube farmers and advocates in Central bohol
- High elevation Rice terrace famer- foresters and seed keepers in Ifugao highlands (including Hungudan)
- Kalahan ancestral community and forest stewardship pioneers in Imugan, Nueva Viscaya
- Hill side Lanzones farmers in Bae Laguna
- Provincial Development and Agri and forest Staff in the 90s of Nueva Viscaya and Bohol and Bukidnon
- Steeplands and riverine farmers of Ducligan, Bucloc Abra
- Seven Mangyan Tribes of Mindoro Island
- Tagabanua Youth in south Palawan
- Higaoon knowledge keepers in Clavaria Misamis Or and Lantapan, Bukidnon
- Lanzones farmers in Camiguin
- Tiboli Rice farmers, lake stewards and native abaca weavers in Lake Sebu South Cotabato
- Subanen swidden farmers in Lakewood, Zamboanga del Sur
PARTS OF SOUTHEAST ASIA
- Khmer farmer – fishermen in Ton Le Sap Lake Cambodia
- Non timber forest products ( NTFP ) dependent communities in Mondulkiri Cambodia
- Traditional Dayak agroforest communities and forest keepers in central Java , and Sulawesi
- Farmer leaders, seed keepers and crafts folk in Kapuas Hulu, West Kalimantan
- Penan tribe forest keepers / defenders and – herbalists in Sarawak and IP advocates in Sabah
- The Hmong NFTP gatherers /upland farmers in breathtaking Ha Giang North Vietnam
- Lau Suung and Lao Theung highland / upland farmers in Northern Laos uplands ,
- Mangrove keepers and fishermen of the legendary Ayawadry delta in Myanmar
- Community forestry groups in headwaters of Kachin , Shan and Tanintaryi Myanmar
PARTS OF SOUTH and NORTH ASIA
- The ecological agri and soil protectors in Karnataka ,India
- Forest garden keeper and herbalists in South Sri Lanka
- Watershed oriented farmers the dry zone of Anura Dhapura tending ancient irrigation systems
- the migratory households in central Maongolia raising yaks ( cousins of the cow)
- Upland fruit farmers in the steep highlands of Bhutan
- The community forestry stewards in Northwest Frontier province Pakistan
THE PACIFIC AND A LITTLE OF AFRICA
- the root crop farmers and extension workers of Samoa and Fiji
- The organic farmers in the small island of Niue in the Pacific
- the Landcare volunteers of Australia
- Wilflife protectors or Uganda