Measuring Indigenous food security—A case for Indigenous designed tools

Abstract

Food insecurity disproportionately impacts Indigenous peoples, leading to significant health disparities. Indigenous peoples globally share a deep and interconnected relationship to their lands, waterways and seas that ensures optimum health, and cultural, spiritual, social and emotional wellbeing. However, food security definitions and assessment frameworks in research and policy predominantly stem from capitalist and colonial food system values. These frameworks often fail to recognise the Indigenous knowledge systems and cultural practices that support food security. Experiences of food security are culturally bound. Therefore, any instrument to measure the food security experiences of Indigenous peoples should be culturally grounded, appropriate and safe, plus include relevant dimensions such as access to traditional foods, community sharing practices and spiritual connections to the land.