Building Sustainable Food Systems on the Colorado Plateau

For centuries American Indian tribes have sustained themselves off the land, developing farming techniques that coincided with seasonal monsoon patterns and runoffs, mastering the local ecosystem and establishing regional trade routes, elements that are considered key in the establishment of a sustainable food system.

However, with the introduction of new technologies, trade routes have given way to highways and agriculture has geared toward greater emphasis on growing faster and bigger, generating a culture that puts traditional farming practices and ecological stewardship on the back burner.

This paper presents a synopsis of work being conducted by seven Native communities and organizations located on the Colorado Plateau in their efforts to revive local food systems and agriculture and regain control of ecological stewardship. It also shares applied strategies and essential organizational elements that contribute to their organizational and programmatic sustainability in an environment that many rural Native communities face, which include the lack of resources, geographic isolation, and limited infrastructure.