Protecting land through local ecological knowledge

When local shellfish gatherers in the Bijagós Archipelago of Guinea-Bissau noticed declining stocks of the mollusks, they knew what to do. The all women group collectively imposed longer no-harvest periods, adapting traditional practices to meet today’s environmental realities.

These conservation practices are not externally imposed rules, they are the result of generations of observation, experience and collective memory. Among the Bijagós people, the environment is sacred: forests and water are not resources to exploit but living beings. Women play a central role as knowledge guardians and guide young people to use traditional practices that generations of women have passed down to them.

In Guinea-Bissau, Inter Pares’ counterpart Tiniguena works with communities to protect and revitalize the way farming is done, and how food is cultivated by using wisdom born from the land, shaped by community and passed down through generations. This deep knowledge fosters a tight bond between communities and their environments. These are not simply traditions. They are living, evolving practices that protect ecosystems, guide sustainable resource use and preserve cultural identity.

Across West Africa, similar connections between culture and conservation influence how communities protect at-risk environments. In Togo, Inter Pares’ counterpart Inades-Formation supports community-led responses to defend sacred spaces like the Adjamé forest, which is at risk of deforestation. The forest hosts altars used for ancestral rituals. Outside of ceremonial times, communities strictly forbid access to the forest—a rule that has preserved its biodiversity and ecological balance.

By supporting local leadership and traditional governance, our counterparts help ensure that these cultural practices remain strong in the face of deforestation, land grabbing and climate change. They help ensure that local rules and ecological rhythms are recognized and respected.

Inter Pares is committed to valuing the people who hold ancestral knowledge—women, elders, youth, healers and farmers—and to ensuring that their leadership remains at the heart of climate and food justice.

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