Guest Editorial: Working with Indigenous Peoples to Foster Sustainable Food Systems

• Published in: Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development
• Main Author: Kent Mullinix
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Thomas A. Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems 2016
• Subjects: Indigenous Peoples; First Nation Peoples; Food Sovereignty; demo; scipo; Canada; First Nations
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2015.054.008; https://doaj.org/article/a40c820621a94d1abc59c23ee6b42402

First paragraph: In order for sustainable, regional food systems to be so they must embody the vision and aspirations of all people and communities therein. In Canada, Indigenous Peoples and First Nations are an important, though often marginalized, element of our communities and society (Gray, 2011). Therefore I proffer that sustainable, regional food system planning, advocacy, and action in Canada (and elsewhere) should include the perspectives and support the predilections of Indigenous Peoples and communities. Though there are important, examples of effective efforts to do so (Food Matters Manitoba, 2015; Tu'wusht Project [Vancouver Native Health Society, 2014] in Vancouver; Food Secure Canada, 2015), in my experience working in Western Canada and elsewhere North American, sustainable food system researchers, activists, and others have been substantially remiss in this regard, with a resultant impoverishment of the movement in terms of perspective, inclusivity, and strategy. At the Institute for Sustainable Food Systems (ISFS) at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, an applied research institute that works to advance regionalized food systems by delineating their economic, food self-reliance, environmental stewardship, and community development potentials, we are trying to do otherwise.