b'FOOD SOVEREIGNTYThe inside of one of Growcers vertical farming units, which have currently been installed in 75 communitiesA MODERN-DAYFOOD FIGHT By Andrew BrooksF r o m f o o d i n s e c u r i t y t o f o o d s o v e r e i g n t y f o r I n d i g e n o u s c o m m u n i t i e s : t h e i m p a c t o n c o m m u n i t y h e a l t h a n d e c o n o m i c d e v e l o p m e n tT hefactthatnearlyone-in- Aswell,thefederalgovernmentIn 2021, the highest percentage of indi-three Indigenous householdsannounced in December 2022 that it wasviduals living in food-insecure house-face food insecurity is a healthcommitting $19.5 million to boost foodholds was found among Indigenous crisis,buttherearesomeself-sufficiency in Canadas remote andpeoples at 30.7 per cent, PROOF stated. innovative solutions that areIndigenous communities. The funding isThe researchers pointed out that in reality addressing this issue, while alsopart of Ottawas Local Food Infrastructurethe problem is probably even worse, contributing to the economic well- Fund, a $70-million initiative created asgiven that Indigenous communities are being of Indigenouscommunities. part of the governments food policy.underrepresented in surveys of food insecurity in Canada.Novel start-ups are developing inno- Its all part of an effort to address the vative vertical farming techniques tonagging problem of food insecurity inThe main challenge is the length and improve food supply to NorthernIndigenous communities. In 2021, PROOF,complexity of the logistics chain required regions, and some communities arean interdisciplinary research program thatto ship foodparticularly fresh foodresearches food security policy, releasedinto remote Indigenous communities. taking matters into their own handsa study titled, Household Food InsecurityThe sheer distance ensures that the cost by transforming unused spaces intoin Canada that took special note ofof food shipped to these places soars productive greenhouses. Indigenous food insecurity.dramatically, not to mention that by the 46A CCAB PUBLICATIONFall 2023'