Grassroots and Global Governance: Can Global–Local Linkages Foster Food System Resilience for Small Northern Canadian Communities?

Abstract

Communities in Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT) are at the forefront of the global climate emergency. Yet, they are not passive victims; local-level programs are being implemented across the region to maintain livelihoods and promote adaptation. At the same time, there is a recent call within global governance literature to pay attention to how global policy is implemented and affecting people on the ground. Thinking about these two processes, we ask the question: (how) can global governance assist northern Indigenous communities in Canada in reaching their goals of adapting their food systems to climate change? To answer this question, we argue for a “community needs” approach when engaging in global governance literature and practice, which puts community priorities and decision-making first. As part of a collaborative research partnership, we highlight the experiences of Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation, located in Kakisa, NWT, Canada. We include their successes of engaging in global network building and the systemic roadblock of lack of formal land tenure. Moreover, we analyze potential opportunities for this community to engage with global governance instruments and continue connecting to global networks that further their goals related to climate change adaptation and food sovereignty.

Tensions in Fostering ‘local food’ in the Northwest Territories: Contending with Settler Colonialism in Northern Research

“…may be in contention with one another. The unsettled land claims also present food system challenges for the First Nations whose negotiations are still ongoing (Johnston & Spring, 2021). This resonates with consideration raised by critical food scholars with regards to the question of land in food sovereignty movements (Kepkiewicz & Dale, 2018;McMichael, 2015).…”

“…As Whyte (2017) explains, "Indigenous peoples often describe food injustice as a violation of their collective self-determination over their food systems" (p. 2). An important lesson that this tension left me with is in understanding how overemphasizing the coloniality of agricultural pursuits renders invisible Indigenous-led agricultural projects (cf: Johnston & Spring, 2021;Ross & Mason, 2020;Simba & Spring, 2017). Even it if is often the case, it should not be assumed that southerners and settlers alone are leading the development of agricultural systems in the territory.…”

The Political Ecology of Sustainable Livelihoods in Kakisa, NWT: Fish Waste Composting for Enhancing Soil Productivity and Waste Management Capacity in Northern Indigenous Communities

“…Political capital also plays a significant role in shaping Indigenous livelihoods because it either provides or restricts assets to traditional land and land management practices (Johnston & Spring, 2021). Flora et al, (2005: 2) define political capital as "levels of community organization through the use of government" and "the ability of government to garner resources for the community."…”

“…As many participants noted, people are spending less time on the land -"People don't go out as much anymore," (Anonymous Community Member). The community's reduced time spent on the land could be attributed to several factors including increasing emphasis on wage labour (Lambden et al, 2007;Kuhnlein & Chan, 2000;Natcher, 2009), which significantly reduces the amount of free time people have to partake in traditional food and resource procurement (Spring et al, 2018;Johnston & Spring, 2021). In Kakisa, community members either seek employment at the Band Office -which tends to be administrative -or they seek employment elsewhere, either commuting or relocating to Hay River or Yellowknife.…”

“…There are some challenges with the KTFN's political context. One issue is that the KTFN currently does not have formal tenure over their traditional territory (Johnston & Spring, 2021). The Dehcho First Nation has been negotiating land claims with the federal government since 1999, which have stalled many times over disagreements on land use and resource management (Johnston & Spring, 2021;Dehcho First Nations, 2021b).…”