Honoring Global Advancements for Indigenous Peoples on Indigenous Peoples’ Day and National Indigenous History Month in Canada

21 June 2021 - On National Indigenous Peoples’ Day in Canada and throughout the month of June, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Liaison Office for North America joins the First Nations, Inuit, Métis peoples and Canada in celebration and commemoration of the contributions of the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. At this critical moment globally, FAO joins Canada in appreciating how critical Indigenous Peoples’ leadership is for sustainable food systems, biodiversity conservation and climate action. 

FAO has worked with Indigenous Peoples’ communities, organizations and researchers, as well as universities and government agencies of Canada that have provided  research informing FAO’s work with Indigenous Peoples in North America and globally.“FAO North America is honored to work with and feature the influential, Indigenous-led work across Canada revitalizing Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, community food security and cultural health,” said Jocelyn BrownHall, Director of the FAO North America.   

Starting in 2001, FAO’s collaboration with Canada and Indigenous Peoples began with research conducted with McGill University’s Center for Indigenous Nutrition and Environment (CINE), profiling Indigenous Peoples’ food systems and nutrition around the world with an Indigenous-led, community-based research methodology. A research collaboration with Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and numerous international partners including the International Union for Nutrition Scientists, UN agencies, and multiple Canadian federal agencies, resulted in two flagship co-publications with CINE in 2009 and 2013. These publications include the profiles of eleven Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, including from Canada the Inuit, the Nuxalk of Coastal British Columbia, and the Gwich’in in Tetlit Zheh of the Northwest Territories.  

These partnerships and research have informed the policymakers and the global research agendas on the importance and changes impacting Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems, as well as nutrition, health and ecological preservation. This work laid the foundation for research on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems to expand, most recently resulting in the influential “White Paper/Wiphala Paper on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems” as well as the 2021 award-winning, flagship co-publication, Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems: Insights from the Front Line of Climate Change.  

In addition to research publications, Indigenous leaders and political leaders of Canada have been instrumental in supporting the influential global seminars and campaigns, which have built international momentum and awareness for Indigenous women, Indigenous youth, as well as Indigenous Peoples’ food systems, fisheries and traditional knowledge. The gatherings include the launch of the Global Campaign for the Empowerment of Indigenous Women towards Zero Hunger (2018), the first Expert Seminar on Traditional Knowledge and Indigenous Peoples’ Fisheries in the Arctic Region (2019), the first High-Level Expert Seminar on North American Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems (2021), and the inaugural launch of the bi-annual UN Forum on Indigenous Youth (2021). Each of these events have resulted in directive declarations, statements and recommendations that in turn guide global actions for Indigenous Peoples’ rights and effective influence in the UN mechanisms.  

To further guide and inform global discussions, the government of Canada at the Rome level enabled the launch of the Group of Friends of Indigenous Peoples in 2019, serving as the chair for the first two years. The Rome Group of Friends of Indigenous Peoples has now consolidated an active space of dialogue with over 34 countries meeting regularly to discuss with Indigenous leaders and UN agencies.  

On the international stage in 2021, Canada with countries from the Rome Group of Friends demonstrated invaluable leadership alongside the Indigenous Peoples’ delegation attending the UN Food System Pre-Summit in Rome and Summit in New York. Together with the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) and with the support of UN agencies and seven-member countries (Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Dominican Republic, Finland, and Spain), they formulated the new Coalition on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems within the framework of the UN Food Systems Summit. This coalition is well-positioned to be an influential working space for Indigenous Peoples, member countries and UN agencies to advance the critical coordination for the protection of Indigenous Peoples’ food and knowledge systems to influence global food system transformations towards resilience and sustainability.  

Within the North American region, Indigenous leaders and the FAO North America office have strengthened collaborations over the past two and a half years resulting in increased partnerships with Indigenous Peoples’ organizations, Indigenous youth, women, chefs, researchers, as well as academic institutes and federal agencies of Canada. A few highlights include the webinar for International Women’s Day featuring Indigenous researchers Dr. Priscilla Settee and Elisa Levi, and introductory dialogues with Indigenous Peoples’ organizations and regional representative bodies across Canada. Indigenous Chef Rich Francis and his incredible work were showcased as a 2021 World Food Day – Global Food Hero, and he also joined us for the Co-Producers' Unite webinar. Mentors and youth from Tea Creek Farm in North British Columbia joined Indigenous Chef Nephi Craig and Indigenous youth for an inspirational event for the 2021 World Food Forum launch.  North American focal points for the Global Indigenous Youth Forum from Canada were instrumental in the launching of the inaugural, bi-annual UN Global Indigenous Youth Forum and the resulting declaration.  

Looking ahead, the FAO Indigenous Peoples Unit with the FAO North America will continue to collaborate with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada and the Canadian government to center Indigenous Peoples’ critical work for food system transformation, biodiversity preservation and climate action. Both are currently working on a new partnership with Thompson Rivers University – All My Relations Indigenous Research Centre to advance Indigenous women’s research and knowledge generation on food systems and climate change. Additionally, Global-Hub on Indigenous Peoples’ Food Systems is looking to expand partnerships with the global Arramat Project of Indigenous researchers hosted by the University of Alberta.  

In a unique publication, FAO will be highlighting how Canada is one of the few countries in the world to have included Indigenous Peoples in the writing and specialization of the National Food Based Dietary Guidelines. FAO will also be featuring the work of Indigenous Peoples’ food systems and biocentric restoration happening across North America in upcoming research and roundtable series that will serve to inform a new,  global conservation paradigm, centering Indigenous Peoples. Other areas of collaboration include engaging Indigenous Fisheries in the context of the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture and Global Indigenous Youth Caucus advocacy in the lead-up to COP27.  

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