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Saturday
5/17/2008 7:01:00 PM |
Native Agriculture & Food Systems Initiative
Traditionally, Native food systems remained largely community-based in planning and implementation. Tribal members shared not only in the clearing of the land, planting of seeds, harvesting of crops, and so forth, but also in the sharing of produce and products. These practices were part of a long history within a complex network of rights and obligations that fulfilled the physiological need for sustenance, the economic need for livelihood, and the spiritual need for living in close association with the land and its environmental resources.
Today, tribes and rural Native communities are trying to rebuild their communities from the desolation of the past. Although many tribes still depend heavily on community-based food systems for much of their daily existence and livelihood, many more no longer have control over the management of these food systems within their own economies. This lack of control has led to a shift away from traditional food sources to alternative supplements and the result has been an increase in food insecurity and the erosion of Native community health. A significant number of Native people, in a community once completely self-sufficient and healthy, now experience outright hunger.
While agricultural food production continues to be an important activity for many Native communities, patterns of production differ from that of the larger food and agricultural sector and FNDI has undertaken several activities in support of rebuilding Native food systems. The Native Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative has established the following long-term goals for increasing food security in Native communities:
Targeted and strategic funding, technical assistance, convenings and model dissemination to increase the effectiveness and number of reservation and Native community-based food enterprises.
Partnering among reservation-based farmers, co-operatives, grocery stores, health agencies and schools to promote the growing and distribution (and import) of more nutritious foods, and to educate youth and community members about good nutrition and health.
Development of sustainable multi-regional and/or national networks of Native food sector organizations, including farmers, co-operatives, distributors, etc., to facilitate the sharing of best practices, create and open information channels, and establish a “voice” for influencing public policy.
Development of training materials to assist specific enterprises or tribal communities in identifying resources and strategies to develop sustainable food and agricultural systems, and to expand programs to meet both the food demand and economic needs of Native communities.
Identification of, and influence on, key public policies affecting food systems and food security, such as the Farm Bill – providing a voice for Indian Country that ensures positive administrative and legislative changes for the Native food sector.
A culminating highlight of 2002 was FNDI’s first-ever national Native Food Summit, held in November in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This highly successful event, which brought together representatives from 83 Native, public, and private organizations, was the initial step in strengthening a network of reservation and Native community-based food enterprises on a regional and/or national level. First Nations is currently funding 14 Native Agriculture and Food Systems projects, all of whom attended the Summit. As one outcome of the Food Summit, FNDI has just launched the Native Agriculture and Food listserv, designed to further cultivate the important relationships necessary to achieving the long-term goals for food security in Native communities.
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We believe, that when armed with appropriate resources, Native peoples hold the capacity and ingenuity to ensure the sustainable economic, spiritual, and cultural well being of their communities.
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