LOCAL PARTNER: The Registered Trustees of PACOS Trust (PACOS)
Background and objective: The indigenous communities in Sabah, Borneo Malaysia are faced with multitudes of issues related to the loss of territories due to large-scale development such as monoculture plantations. As a result, many communities are marginalized, especially small subsistence farmers. They are displaced from their land, and their traditional knowledge on natural resource management and farming is threatened due to non- recognition of traditional knowledge , the younger generations are no longer taught the traditional knowledge of their ancestors and challenge of modernization that does not support a sustainable lifestyle. There is a need to provide achievable solutions for climate change and food security issues in urban as well as rural areas.
The project aims to promote natural farming to address the current high use of chemicals in food production and strengthen food security among indigenous communities in Sabah. This project will focus on 3 objectives: i) to document traditional food sources and situation of food security among indigenous communities in Sabah; ii) to establish a model farm where traditional indigenous knowledge on farming and other natural farming innovations can be practiced, documented, and learned; iii) implement community awareness and training workshops on natural farming and food security with rural communities so that innovations in farming to address food security can be shared in Sabah through Community Learning Centres (CLC).
A documentation list of over 100 types of edible plants were recorded. A pilot integrated farm (Kivatu Nature fram) and a learning centre for indigenous youths on nature farming (School for Entrepreneurial and Experiential Development Sabah). 3 community awareness and training workshops were conducted (59 participants- 5 male & 54 female)
Local partner information: PACOS is a community-based organization (CBO) dedicated to supporting and empowering indigenous communities through systematic building and strengthening of community organizations. PACOS also supports networking among organizations struggling to assert rights over community resources and revitalizing important aspects of indigenous systems. It has over 30 years of experience in working with communities on development and human rights-related issues. PACOS has established 24 community learning centres (CLC) providing early education for young children and life-long learning space for adults. Through its programs and activities, it has managed to keep its involvement focused to assisting communities and at the same time increased its policy advocacy work as well as provide input into development-related issues faced by indigenous communities.
