+ Food Sovereignty Assessment
+ Food System Issues on the Navajo Nation
+ Hajiinee Note: Emergence Water, Rainbow Four Main Plants n Corn n Beans n Squash n Tobacco
+ Diné Food Timeline; What is a Native Diet? n Prior to European Arrival n Cultivated Crops: Corn, Squash, Beans n Wild Animals, Hunted Game Meats n Deer, Antelope, Prairie Dogs n Wild Plants n Hundreds of Plants used for food and beverage n Food Sources were self-sufficient and Local n Largely Plant Based Diet
+ Diné Food Timeline; Current Trends n Today: n fried potatoes, fry-bread and tortillas, sugary drinks, and processed meats most consumed n The general trend: the decline of pre-contact foods and the increase of non-native foods. n These dietary changes did not occur by chance, but were fostered by a series of American interventions and policies; namely forced removal, the livestock reduction, boarding schools, relocation, and food distribution programs, along with the changes in a subsistence lifestyles to wage based society.
+ Current Food System on Navajo Nation
+ Food Desert Data for Tsaile, Lukachukai, Round Rock
+Diabetes and Other Nutritional Illnesses Navajo Diabetes n 1 person in 6000 with diabetes in 1937 n Now close to 1 in 3; Navajos have diabetes; this rate is increasing. American Diabetes n 8.3% of the US population have diabetes vs. estimated 33% on Navajo Nation The rise of nutritionally related illnesses extend to Obesity, Heart Disease, Hyper-Tension, and some Cancers. There is a direct correlation in a Westernized Diet and Nutritional Illness. Every Indigenous population that encounters Western Diet sees these Illnesses in a few decades.
+ What is the Diné Food Sovereignty Initiative?
+ Diné Food Sovereignty initiative n Funded by Native Agriculture and Food System Initiative Grant through the First Nations Development Institute: n The Diné Policy Institute (DPI) and Land Grant Office (LGO) of Diné College are working on a project to address the lack of access to healthy, affordable, and traditional foods in the region directly around Diné College and revitalize traditional food systems. n In relation to the Health, Economic, Social, and Environmental Issues associated with the modern food system on the Navajo Nation.
+ Project Area n This project was designed to apply DPI s research and LGO s work to directly benefit the region around the College n Tsaile n Lukachukai n Round Rock n Many Farms n Chinle This project is designed with the intention of being a demonstration project to be utilized by the rest of the Navajo Nation.
+ Objectives n Establish a Farmers Market in Tsaile by the end of September 2012 n Direct, Immediate Access to healthier, traditionally based foods n Public Education and Outreach on Navajo Nation Food System Issues and Agricultural Revitalization n Public Investment, Providing Community with Knowledge to act n Provide a Policy Recommendations and Regional Food Policy Draft for the communities in the Project Area n Long Term, Systemic Changes
+ Research Activities n Working with Local Governments and Programs to compile existing data on Regional Food System n Data Collection n Consumer and Grower Interviews and Surveys n Case Studies for Best Practices n On Navajo efforts to revitalize agriculture n On other Tribes efforts
+ Food Sovereignty Assessment
+ Methodology for Assessment n Utilizing the First Nations Development Institute s Food Sovereignty Assessment Tool Three Groups n Growers n Consumers n Policy Makers Utilizing both Qualitative and Quantitative Data Collection
+ Thematic Questions n What is the level of awareness of Food Sovereignty and Food System Issues on the Navajo Nation? n How can we impact change? n What are existing resources we can utilize?
+ Data Collection: Consumer Group n Community Consumer Surveys - looking at where people got their food supply, what they are buying, and what is their awareness/perceptions of their Food System (large number, quantitative) n In-depth Interviews Why do they buy what they buy? Why do they think our food system has changed so dramatically? How can we change it? (smaller number, qualitative) n Data Collection with a team of Interns n Incentives for In-depth Interviews n Data Collected Summer 2012, nearly complete
+ Preliminary Conclusions of Consumer Data Collection n Lack of Fresh Foods in Project Area n The importance of EBT n Awareness of decline of Native foods, but no awareness of modern food system n People are aware that unhealthy food causes nutritional illnesses, however perception of what is healthy is skewed. n There is a strong generational element to this n Also exposure to life off of the rez
+ Data Collection: Grower Group n Group Surveys to be conducted at meetings, yes or no format n Do you grow Corn, Beans, etc? n Do you grow for profit? n Do you distribute to you family? n Grower Mapping n Smaller focus groups n Why has agriculture declined? n What are the barriers to growing? n How can growing become easier?
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Contact Info + Dana Eldridge, Policy Analyst, Diné Policy Institute 928.724.6942 DB.Eldrige@gmail.com