Indigenous Community Perspectives of Food Security, Sustainable Food Systems and Strategies to Enhance Access to Local and Traditional Healthy Food for Partnering Williams Treaties First Nations (Ontario, Canada)

• Published in: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
• Main Authors: Ashleigh Domingo, Kerry-Ann Charles, Michael Jacobs, Deborah Brooker, Rhona M. Hanning
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021
• Subjects: Indigenous health; food security; food sovereignty; food systems; sustainability; colonialism; Medicine; R; Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18094404; https://doaj.org/article/38d429392b8d4a6b848e6202eaa80fb2

In partnership with communities of the Williams Treaties First Nations in southern Ontario (Canada), we describe an approach to work with communities, and highlight perspectives of food security and sustainability, including priorities and opportunities to revitalize local food systems as a pathway to food security and food sovereignty. The objectives of our project were: (1) to build a shared understanding of food security and sustainability; and (2) to document community priorities, challenges and opportunities to enhance local food access. Utilizing an Indigenous methodology, the conversational method, within the framework of community-based participatory research, formative work undertaken helped to conceptualize food security and sustainability from a community perspective and solidify interests within the four participating communities to inform community-led action planning. Knowledge generated from our project will inform development of initiatives, programs or projects that promote sustainable food systems. The community-based actions identified support a path towards holistic wellbeing and, ultimately, Indigenous peoples’ right to food security and food sovereignty.