The Eighth International Symposium on Arctic Research (ISAR-8)

Chair: Yoko Kugo (University of Alaska Fairbanks)

S11: This session invites projects relating to Indigenous food security, sovereignty, and lifeways due to climate and socioeconomic changes in the Arctic and sub-Arctic communities and its related areas and from local/Indigenous perspectives. Indigenous food sovereignty topics in this session includes relationships between humans and non-humans, cultural skills of harvesting, sharing, and storing food, Indigenous knowledge of the land, and how northern communities have maintained their lifeways while adapting to these changes wrought by colonialism and other factors.
S12: The Arctic's ecological, cultural, and geopolitical significance faces rapid changes from global warming, increased connectivity, and shifting political dynamics, affecting food sovereignty and security. Food sovereignty refers to the right to shape and manage food systems, emphasizing local production, cultural traditions, and environmental sustainability. For Arctic Indigenous populations, it highlights ancestral wisdom, subsistence practices, and foraging, crucial to cultural identity and self-determination. In contrast, food security ensures access to adequate, safe, and nutritious food for a healthy lifestyle, evaluated by availability, accessibility, utilization, and stability. Arctic food security is shaped by environmental, economic, and social factors. This discussion explores the relationship between food sovereignty and security, underscoring their importance in addressing sustainability, fairness, and resilience in the Arctic.