Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change: The Production of Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) and Bush Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Crops for Improved Food Security and Resilience in a First Nation Community in the Canadian Sub-Arctic

Abstract

Aboriginal people in Canada's northern regions are vulnerable to climate variability in addition to experiencing disproportionately high rates of diet-related illnesses including obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. Food insecurity is a contributing factor along with a loss of traditional lifestyles. Current food systems within these regions rely heavily on imported foods that are expensive (when available), and unsustainable. A warming subarctic and arctic climate offers the opportunity for local agricultural production that can increase food security and promote a more sustainable food system. In this study the feasibility of sustainably growing potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) to enhance food security in remote subarctic communities is explored through a case study in Fort Albany First Nation in northern Ontario, Canada. Potato crops were grown over a two-year period and rotated into plots that had been planted with green bush beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Results showed that OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2014, 6 2 potatoes and bush beans could be grown successfully in the subarctic with yields comparable to more traditional agricultural methods. In subarctic Canada, sustainable local food production helps to promote social capital, healthier lifestyles, and food security.