“This eFieldbook will serve as a valuable resource to Cooperative Extension professionals that are working with indigenous populations, while focused on sovereign food production.” - Fred Schlutt, New Technologies for Ag Extension Catalyst, Former Extension Director - University of Alaska Fairbanks.
The US Department of Agriculture 2018-2022 Strategic Plan recognizes it’s role in helping provide access to safe and nutritious food for limited income people, by supporting limited resource individuals and families in their efforts to escape food insecurity and hunger and improve their well-being. These objectives require partnerships between State, local agencies, and Federal, public and private entities to support best practices in implementing effective programs and ensuring eligible populations have access to programs that support their local food needs. One of the USDA’s strategies is to provide Indigenous peoples with traditional foods that are desired.
The Menominee Indigenous food system initiative is a collaborative project between the 1994 College of Menominee and UW Madison Extension programs. The initiative is built on the concept of a sovereign food systems that connects the Indigenous cultural beliefs of spirit, body, mind and heart to the food system.
As one of four topics within the 2019-2020 New Technologies for Agricultural Extension federal grant, the Menominee food project developed an eFieldbook to be shared with other 1994 Tribal institutions, First American Land Grant Consortium (FALCON)gmail.com, and tribal organizations. This project takes a deep dive into sovereign food production, exploring the impact that workshops and seed and plant distributions have on the presence of Indigenous food being sold at community Farmers Market’s and CSA’s.
This eFieldbook includes:
- Assessments
- Defining Menominee Food Sovereignty
- First Nations Toolkit
- Menominee Food Sovereignty Assessment
- Menominee Wellness Initiative
- Survey Research
- Stakeholder Analysis
- Integrating Culture: Indigenous Planning Systems, Cultural Assets, Historical Trauma & Healing
- Outreach Strategies
- Cultural Considerations
- Case Studies of Successful Projects
Authors:
- Jennifer Gauthier, Senior Outreach Specialist, Menominee County/Nation
- Brian Kowalkowski, Dean of Continuing Education, College of Menominee Nation
- Meg Perry, eFieldbook Fellow
The eFieldbook bookshelf is available at efieldbooks.extension.org. Additionally, eFieldbooks can be found in the main navigation of Connect Extension at connect.extension.org.
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