Community Orchards for Food Sovereignty, Human Health, and Climate Resilience: Indigenous Roots and Contemporary Applications

Abstract

Community orchards could play a valuable role as nature-based solutions to complex challenges we face today. In these unique plantings, a variety of nut- and fruit-producing trees and berry shrubs are often established together on public spaces to provide the community with healthy, fresh food. Interest in these plantings has been increasing in the United States, even more so since the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted vulnerabilities in our food systems. However, the roots of community orchards can be traced back to Indigenous foodways which have persisted for millennia. Then and now, community orchards support an array of functions, positioning them to contribute to solutions to major challenges related to food security, human health, and climate resilience. In this paper, contemporary applications are considered for Indigenous communities in the US that seek to care for their communities and the environment. A case study of the Osage Orchard project in Pawhuska, OK, USA, highlights the value of reconnecting with cultural foods and practices of Osage ancestors, to meet the needs and preferences of a contemporary Indigenous community.

Improving Indigenous Food Sovereignty through sustainable food production: a narrative review

“…As that analysis shows, even when health issues are not the primary focus of a project, they are still given consideration. For example, the Osage Nation intentionally selects fruits and nuts with high nutrient density for their community orchard in Oklahoma (Lovell et al, 2021). Initiatives like these seek to increase local production of nutritious foods in the hope that community members will benefit from healthier diets and from reconnecting with traditional practices, although they rarely directly measure the effects on health outcomes.…”

Cap. 11. Agricultura, sistemas alimentarios y comunidades rurales. En: La Quinta Evaluación Nacional del Clima.

“…Sin embargo, algunas comunidades están liderando de forma proactiva proyectos de seguridad alimentaria para ayudar a adaptarse al cambio climático y mitigarlo (Recuadro 30.4). Un ejemplo es el huerto comunitario de la Nación Osage, basado en el conocimiento ecológico tribal, diseñado teniendo en cuenta la salud de la comunidad y que proporciona frutas, nueces y bayas nutritivas a sus miembros 114 . En el mensaje clave 25.5 y en el Recuadro 29.6 se describen otros ejemplos de adaptación tribal al cambio climático.…”

Cap. 26: Grandes Llanuras del Sur. En: La Quinta Evaluación del Clima

“…Los esfuerzos de evaluación, 61 planificación y plantación de cubierta arbórea 62 urbanos 63 tienen por objeto reducir los impactos negativos del aumento de las temperaturas, la contaminación del aire y la variabilidad de las precipitaciones en los paisajes urbanos 64 . Los bosques alimentarios comunitarios, como el Osage Orchard de Pawhuska (Oklahoma), proporcionan soberanía y seguridad alimentarias, resiliencia climática y beneficios para la salud pública 65 . Aun así, la falta de recursos entre muchas tribus 66 , trabajadores al aire libre y migrantes 67 y poblaciones sobrecargadas 68 ha limitado la capacidad de estos grupos para responder a los riesgos de salud relacionados con el clima.…”