Data and Tools
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Each of the new data tools we've created is described below. Read our data sovereignty protocol here.
Biophysical model
We developed a biophysical simulation model to understand whether Indigenous food systems can support the dietary needs of the people that depend on them, especially in the face of climate change. You can read more about it here.
Geospatial Model
To understand how climate change may impact agricultural food production on tribal lands, we developed a geoclimatic forecasting model that takes into account the following variables:​
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Tribal food preferences
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Tribal land boundaries
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Soil texture, salinity, drainage, pH
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Elevation
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Slope
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Precipitation
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Temperature
You can read more about it here.​​
Indigenous Food Business Database
We administered a nationwide survey (US and Canada) of Indigenous food business owners and operators to understand where they are located, what foods they handle, and other business characteristics. Click here to learn more.
IndigiFoodDB
IndigiFoodDB is database of Indigenous foods, their flavors, nutrients, and environmental impacts. IndigiFoodDB has includes over 100 foods Indigenous to Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia, and we intend to expand this to include Indigenous foods in all 50 states. Access the paper here and click here to access the database.
Indigenous Food Producer Database
Indigenous food producers (farmers and ranchers) play an important role in the Indigenous Food Sovereignty movement. To understand how Indigenous food producers are dispersed across the US, and the economic variability of their products, we have collated the following information from the USDA Census of Agriculture, which we also display in graphical format:
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Number of Indigenous producers and operators
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Number of Indigenous-owned farms
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Market value of crops and livestock produced on Indigenous farms
Click here to learn more.
Food Sovereignty Initiative Database
We created a database of Indigenous food sovereignty initiatives across all states in the US that focus on food production. As you can see from the map below, there are very few initiatives in the eastern states. You can read the published paper here. This paper highlights the importance of food sovereignty initiatives for cultural preservation, health improvement, and environmental stewardship. It also addresses barriers to achieving food sovereignty such as land quality and resource access, describes the various ways these initiatives are implemented, and identifies areas for future research. Click here to access the paper.
