As an NGO, CBIK''''s participatory approach to improving livelihoods of indigenous peoples in will concentrate on four key functions:

Facilitation that promotes debate, consultation, inter-cultural dialogue, exchange visits, workshops and awareness of indigenous peoples, their environments and their values and options for biodiversity conservation and sustainable development by facilitating different stakeholders in the context of a rapidly changing global economy.

Capacity building that effectively responds to the challenges of indigenous people and changing environments by supporting the necessary understanding and mechanisms with improved skills and access to information for researchers, practitioners, resource managers and indigenous people. Activities will focus on training for research, facilitation, and participatory technology development, a small grant program for participatory research and community development, and support of local institutions and partners for networking and information sharing. As CBIK is engaged to be a learning organization, capacity building is the guiding principle for the implementation of programs, as well as for its own institution building.

Bridging for dialogue between cultures, disciplines and knowledge systems and promoting dialogue for mutual understanding. Linked to knowledge generation, capacity building and facilitation, this function aims at networking between different stakeholders so that genuine solutions can be developed that overcome conflicts and misunderstandings.