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Framing the Sustainability Challenge: Food Insecurity

Approximately 690 million around the world are unsure of where their next meal will come from. In the United States, 1 in 8 people suffer from hunger, while on the Native American reservations 1 in 4 people are food insecure.

Deficits in Food System Leadership

Few amounts of farmers markets and grocery stores on Indian reservations
No existing formal connection between tribal food policy leaders and State of Arizona food policy leaders to foster mutually beneficial communication and collaboration
Lack of Native representation on Food Policy Councils; out of 6 AZ food policy coalitions, none focus on food for reservations (Pinnacle Prevention, 2017)
USDA defines farms by the amount revenue they bring in and not by their ability to produce food for communities (Whitt, 2021)

Scope of the Problem

Fig. 2 and 3 demonstrate that the areas with little to no farmer’s markets are more often than not located within Native reservations.

80% of all Arizona farms are tended to by Native Americans, though hardly any of this land is used to grow their own food (Murphree, 2017). Many farms operated on tribal lands are leased out to other farmers off the reservations for economic gain or those managed directly by Native Americans sell their products commercially, leaving them with less locally-grown food further straining impacts of food insecurity.

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Rethinking Food Policy and Governance on Arizona Reservations to Reduce Food Insecurity Through Leadership Theory

Kiley Rath, Jackson Schiefelbein, Chloé Billingsley

Arizona State University

Source: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/518ea9e4e4b0eb1ecff22776/1436808222468-HDNFQQUE0E7NXNB4VWU0/Maize

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Approximately 690 million food insecure (United Nations, n.d.)

In the United States, 1 in 8 people suffer from hunger (Move for Hunger, 2018)

On Native American reservations, 1 in 4 are food insecure (Move for Hunger, 2018)

Apache County, AZ

Navajo nation
Zuni
Apache

30% food insecurity (42% children) (Move for Hunger, 2018)

Framing the Sustainability Challenge: Food Insecurity

Fig. 1. Indigenous sustenance farmer in Moenkopi, Arizona picking apricots.

Source: Cronkite AZPBS Photo by Robert Tann/News 21

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Food insecurity:

Poor food distribution
Lack of nutritious food

Fig. 2-3: Areas with few farmer’s markets—located within Native reservations

80% of all Arizona farms tended to by Native Americans (Murphree, 2017)

Farms operated on tribal lands:

Leased to non-reservation farmers
Native Americans farmers sell commercially

Scope of the Problem

Fig. 2. Map of Arizona Indian Reservations

source: https://universitysecretary.arizona.edu/sites/default/files/native_peoples_of_arizona_-map_0.pdf

Fig. 3. Map of food deserts throughout the state of Arizona

source: https://azdhs.gov/gis/az-food-deserts/index.php.

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Deficits in Food System Leadership

Food policy and food system decisions are not made at local/community level

2018 Farm Bill(Seeds of Native Health)

USDA defines farms by the amount revenue they bring in and not by their ability to produce food for communities (Whitt, 2021)

Disincentivizes community gardens and smaller local farms

Human/social capital values are not incorporated into the cost of food (Kathleen Merrigan and Pavan Sukhdev)

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Few farmers markets/grocery stores on reservations

No connection between tribal and State of Arizona food policy leaders to foster mutually beneficial communication and collaboration

Lack of Native representation on Food Policy Councils

Out of 6 AZ food policy coalitions, none focus on food for reservations (Pinnacle Prevention, 2017)

Maricopa County Food System Coalition (MarCo) 2020 Comprehensive Food System Assessment found large quantities of misrepresentation in food system groups.

Deficits in Food System Leadership

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Participative Leadership

Placing the decision-making process and power in the hands of a group that disregards hierarchy to foster inclusion and democratic participation (Western Governors University, 2021)

Native American representation at the State of Arizona government for collaborating rather than ordering (First Nations Development Institute, 2013)

Create policy tools using sustainability leadership and the value that Native American communities present with this

Host tribal leaders at State of Arizona government to bridge gaps in trust, governance, and knowledge

Collaboration with local native food organizations such as Native Health (n.d.).

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Humanistic Management

Finding value in and managing to support the value of things that intrinsically benefit people as human beings rather than viewing them as part of an economic system that commodifies them (Herrmann and Rundshagen, 2020).

Paradigm shift to emphasize human value

Alter food supply chain management to favor Native American farmers

Place Natives at forefront of food supply chains

Educational resources

Healthy meals
Culinary regeneration
Change unhealthy food culture that has developed from government programs providing poor quality and unhealthy rations (Zah, 2020)

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Potential Limitations

Fig. 5 Homes on Navajo Nation reservation. Source: :https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2017/01/02/mismanagement-funds-navajo-housing

Each tribe varies in:

Population
Land area availability
Access to resources

Increased time necessary for effective policy development and decision-making

Norms exist around food culture and relationships to it

Negative: ties Native Americans to low quality food, poor aid programs, etc.

difficult to change (Press, 2019)

Native farmers are dependent on the income from selling their goods, they cannot consider taking some for themselves

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Conclusion

As we work to inspire hope through innovative solutions, we must remember that it is the people in leadership positions that truly limits us…

Peter Schlosser

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References

First Nations Development Institute. (2013). American Indian Leadership: Strengthening Native Communities and Organizations. https://www.firstnations.org/wp-content/uploads/publication-attachments/American-Indian-Leadership_0.pdf

Herrmann, B. & Rundshagen, V. (2020). Paradigm shift to implement SDG 2 (end hunger): A Humanistic management lens on the education of future leaders. The International Journal of Management Education. 10.1016/j.ijme.2020.100368

Hurth, V. (2021, October 23). Speaker for the “Unleashing the sustainable business--Why Purpose is fast becoming the future of business and is not just a fad! Part I” at the ILA annual conference in Geneva, Switzerland. Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Move for Hunger. (2018). One in 4 Native Americans is food insecure. https://moveforhunger.org/one-in-4-native-americans-is-food-insecure

Murphree, J. (2017). Amazing facts about Arizona

agriculture on tribal lands. Arizona Farm Bureau. https://www.azfb.org/Article/Amazing-Facts-about-Arizona-Agriculture-on-Tribal-Lands

Native Health. (n.d.). Food program. https://www.nativehealthphoenix.org/services/resources/food-programs/

Pinnacle Prevention. (2017). A Snapshot of Arizona food

policy coalitions: Strengths and opportunities. https://www.pinnacleprevention.org/uploads/9/0/3/3/90331111/arizona_food_policy_coalition_report.pdf

Press, F. F. (2019). Oh how sweet it isn't: Navajo president bans candy at parade. Retrieved from https://kutv.com/news/local/oh-how-sweet-it-isnt-navajo-president-bans-candy-at-parade

Western Governors University. (2021). What is participative leadership?

https://www.wgu.edu/blog/participative-leadership2102.html#close

Whitt, C. (2021). Farm Structure. Retrieved from https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/farm-economy/farm-structure-and-organization/farm-structure/

Zah, S. (2020). Arizona Indigenous Foodways Yearbook 2020. Retrieved from https://www.tempe.gov/home/showdocument?id=85616