High-Level Expert Seminar on Indigenous Food Systems: Building on traditional knowledge to achieve Zero Hunger

Langscape Magazine, Volume 7, Issue 2
Winter (Northern Hemisphere) 2018
Nourishing Body and Soul: The Biocultural Diversity of Food

Julie Brimblecombe explains a successful experience of commercialization of indigenous foods

Barbara Burlingame on linking ecosystems and sustainable diets

“Research on indigenous food systems can provide the evidence base for programmes, policies and actions for improving public health and sustainable agriculture,” said Dr. Burlingame in her presentation. She also stressed the importance of biodiversity and food composition data. “Research on indigenous food systems examines the past to protect the future,” she added.  

FAO’s Anna Lartey on the challenges facing today’s food systems, including benefits of forest foods

Global trends, such as climate variability, population growth, urbanisation, conflicts and crisis, economic development are fundamentally moving our food systems in the wrong direction, said Lartey.  “Food Systems transformation needs to respond to multiple challenges to deliver on healthy and nutritious diets.

Thingnaning Longvah on the Importance of Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems in Northeast India

Food biodiversity is the key to ensuring food security, adequate nutrition and health, said Thingnaning Longvah from India’s National Institute for Nutrition. “This is reflected in the strikingly much better nutritional status, lower prevalence of non-communicable diseases among the Chakhesangs peoples as compared to the rest of India."

Nguyen Thi Van Anh on an Indigenous Local Food System in Vietnam

Nguyen Thi Van Anh from the Institute for Social Development Study presented a case study on a diversified food system in Viet Nam based on both different traditional and high-yield varieties. Among these foods include wild products for consumption and sale such as small animals, insects and wild plants (e.g. bamboo shoots). These wild foods have however declined over time, says Van Anh. 

Christiana Louwa Saiti on Opportunities and Challenges from Lake Turkana, Kenya

Christiana Louwa Saiti, representative of the representative of the Elmolo community of Kenya, discussed a fishing hunting and gathering food system -- often “forgotten” NWFPs. The food system of the Elmolo people is deeply rooted in their culture, indigenous knowledge of the lake and other natural resources, explained Saiti. The system involves fishing, hunting and gathering.

Julie Brimblecombe on finding the balance between two food systems through supporting Indigenous decision-making in Australia

“Traditional food connects people to culture and country,” said Julie Brimblecombe, Principle Research Fellow from the Menzies School of Research in Australia. “Indigenous people continue to be empowered with the information needed to make evidence-informed decisions about their food system."