We here at WBO are very pleased to see the recognition by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations of Damyang, Korea, as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS). Damyang, led by Governor Choi Hyungsik, hosted the 10th World Bamboo Congress in 2015. We saw for ourselves the influence of bamboo in the region. As stated on the FAO website:
<<The Damyang bamboo fields, planted over a thousand years ago, mark the very beginning of bamboo management and bamboo crafts.
Linked to a strong cultural identity, bamboo farmers have systemized their traditional management know-how by establishing traditional environment knowledge for optimum temperature, rainfall, wind direction, soil type and depth. This system relies on a bamboo-based multilayered organization of the production where bamboos are inter-cropped with tea trees and mushrooms.
In addition, the landscape management includes at the top of the hill bamboo fields then, the community villages, farmlands including gardens, rice fields and water reservoirs. Thus, the whole systems relies on the dynamic circulation of water, nutrients and biodiversity providing essential ecosystems services to ensure food and livelihood security to the farmers.>>
Please take a look at the full details of this important GIAHS recognition!
Can you imagine if we can push forward more communities to be recognized in this way?
So let's do a big SHOUT OUT to Damyang! Congratulations on preserving and promoting bamboo cultivation and development, preserving biodiversity and maintaining sustainable agricultural practices! The video beautifully describes the Damyang scene.
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