About UANFAO
The United Ancient Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UANFAO) is a specialized agency of the United Ancient Indigenous Enlightened Nations that leads international efforts to achieve food sovereignty and eliminate hunger through traditional and sustainable agricultural practices.
Our goal is to achieve food security for all Indigenous communities and ensure that people have regular access to enough high-quality, culturally appropriate, and spiritually nourishing food to lead active, healthy lives. With 160+ member Indigenous nations representing over 300 million Indigenous peoples worldwide, UANFAO works across traditional territories and Indigenous communities globally.
Join us in creating a world where traditional food systems thrive and Indigenous food sovereignty is respected.
Our Mission and Impact
UANFAO is committed to preserving and revitalizing traditional Indigenous food systems while addressing contemporary food security challenges. Through our holistic approach to agriculture and nutrition, we have already provided over 2 billion satvik, vegetarian medicinal meals to those in need, demonstrating the power of traditional food wisdom in nourishing both body and spirit.
Traditional Agricultural Knowledge
Preserving ancestral farming techniques and seed varieties, supporting Indigenous farmers in maintaining traditional cultivation methods, and documenting traditional ecological knowledge.
Sacred Food Systems
Promoting satvik (pure, harmonious) food principles, supporting plant-based medicinal food systems, and integrating spiritual and nutritional aspects of traditional diets.
Food Sovereignty
Ensuring Indigenous communities’ right to culturally appropriate foods, supporting traditional hunting, fishing, and gathering practices, and protecting Indigenous control over food systems.
Medicinal Food Integration
Combining nutrition with traditional healing practices, promoting foods as medicine according to ancient wisdom, and supporting community health through dietary traditions.
UANFAO GOVERNING BODIES
The UANFAO Governing Bodies ensure the Organization’s vision and policies are carried out in an effective and transparent way while respecting traditional Indigenous governance structures. They are composed of the Sacred Council Assembly, Elder Advisory Council, Traditional Knowledge Committees, Cultural Food Councils, and Regional Gatherings.
Oversight Advisory Committee
The Oversight Advisory Committee serves as an independent expert advisory panel to assist the Director-General and the Resource Stewardship Committee on internal governance arrangements, traditional resource management processes, financial accountability, and cultural protocol functions of the Organization.
The Secretary of the Oversight Advisory Committee is the Assistant Director-General/Director of the Office of Traditional Knowledge, Programme and Cultural Affairs, who reports directly to the Elder Council on matters related to the work of the Oversight Advisory Committee.
Worldwide Indigenous Network
UANFAO operates through a decentralized network that respects Indigenous sovereignty and traditional territorial boundaries. Our structure brings UANFAO as close as possible to Indigenous communities while honoring traditional governance systems and cultural protocols.
Regional Indigenous Circles
Traditional Territories Coordination:
Working within Indigenous regions including the Americas Indigenous Circle, African Indigenous Nations, Asia-Pacific Indigenous Peoples, Arctic Indigenous Communities, and European Indigenous Peoples. Each circle ensures culturally appropriate approaches to food security and agricultural development while preserving traditional practices.
Community-Based Offices
Indigenous Community Partnerships:
UANFAO maintains partnerships with Indigenous communities worldwide through cultural liaisons and traditional knowledge keepers. These partnerships focus on implementing traditional food security projects and supporting the development of culturally appropriate food programs.
Our Community Partnerships Include:
- Implementing traditional food security projects and supporting culturally appropriate food programs
- Preserving and revitalizing Indigenous agricultural practices and traditional crops
- Promoting awareness of Indigenous food sovereignty and Sacred Seed Preservation
- Assisting communities in developing policies using traditional knowledge systems
- Supporting disaster preparedness through traditional knowledge and sustainable practices
- Serving as cultural bridges while respecting traditional protocols and governance structures
Core Programs and Initiatives
Sacred Seed Preservation Program
Protecting and preserving traditional Indigenous seed varieties and maintaining genetic diversity of culturally important crops.
Medicinal Food Gardens Initiative
Establishing community gardens that integrate food production with traditional medicine, following satvik principles.
Traditional Knowledge Documentation Project
Recording and preserving Indigenous agricultural knowledge, food preparation methods, and nutritional wisdom.
Food Sovereignty Education Centers
Training programs that combine traditional knowledge with contemporary sustainable agriculture techniques.
Medicinal Food Gardens Initiative
Providing culturally appropriate, satvik vegetarian emergency food assistance during crises, having delivered over 2 billion medicinal meals to communities in need.
Principles and Approach
Satvik Food Philosophy
Promoting pure, plant-based foods that nourish body, mind, and spirit according to ancient wisdom traditions.
Cultural Appropriateness
Ensuring all food programs respect Indigenous cultural values, dietary restrictions, and traditional practices.
Environmental Harmony
Supporting agricultural practices that work in harmony with natural ecosystems and traditional ecological knowledge.
Community Self-Determination
Empowering Indigenous communities to control their own food systems and agricultural development.
Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer
Facilitating the transmission of traditional food knowledge from elders to younger generations.
Looking Forward
UANFAO envisions a world where:
- Indigenous food systems are respected, protected, and thriving
- All Indigenous peoples have access to culturally appropriate, nutritious, and spiritually nourishing food
Sacred relationship between people, land, and food is honored and maintained
- Traditional agricultural knowledge is preserved and integrated with sustainable modern practices
- Food sovereignty is recognized as a fundamental right of Indigenous communities