Fostering food security through local culture: Insights from Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in Saskatchewan

Food insecurity has become a wicked problem and a global challenge, raising the concerns of farmers, consumers, and world leaders. Against the common opinion that food insecurity exists only in developing nations, research has shown that food insecurity is also experienced in developed countries like Canada and has been documented for over four decades. Findings from an online provincial survey with urban and rural respondents (n=168) have shown that Saskatchewan people have significant concerns about food insecurity. Hence, this thesis builds on the survey results and collects valuable insights through semi-structured interviews with 14 Val Marie and Muskeg Lake participants, including producers, vendors, consumers, and those involved in community governance. Underpinned by an interpretivist methodology, I aimed to record stories about the participants’ food concerns, challenges, food-related opportunities in their community, and their beliefs on the activities that can build the resilience of the local food system. The findings showed that participants – who represented both Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives – have concerns with food affordability, accessibility, loss of local knowledge, and altered ecosystems. Amongst other challenges, the unavailability of multiple grocery stores and some government policies have emerged. Drawing from the research participants’ responses on trends that can build resilience, I recommend, among others, that the government creates an enabling environment for the local food system to blossom alongside the neoliberal food system, bearing in mind the principles of food sovereignty.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts (MA)

Level thesis:degree_level

Master's

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Sociology

Grantor dc:publisher

Faculty of Graduate Studies and Research, University of Regina

Year dc:date.issued

2023

Author dc:creator

• Ogie, Ebube Esther

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Fletcher, Amber
• Sutter, Glenn

Committee member dc:contributor.committeemember

• Jurdi-Hage, Rozzet

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://doi.org/10.82465/4426

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uregina.scholaris.ca:10294/16450