Cultural Considerations
Diverse and Dynamic: A Portrait of Contemporary Indigenous Agriculture in Canada
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Omid Mirzaei
Indigenous producers have long participated in food production in Canada but have been historically excluded from conventional agricultural markets and systems. In recent years, there has been an increase in Indigenous communities’ desire to engage in commercial agriculture, and tentative steps have been made toward greater inclusion of Indigenous producers in these systems. Such inclusion, however, faces challenges of balancing recognition of the diverse practices and principles of Indigenous production with regulatory standardization in conventional systems. To illustrate the complexities of this varied dynamic of inclusion and independence, this paper presents a portrait of the contemporary and shifting dynamics of the Indigenous agri-food sector in Canada. It provides a statistical snapshot of contemporary involvement in the sector and details three agri-food areas where Indigenous producers are making inroads: berries, fungi, and wild rice. Results show that the Indigenous population is underrepresented in the sector, and there is a significant data gap in Indigenous agricultural activities. Indigenous producers have found success in conventional, though niche, agri-food sectors by taking different productive approaches than what is often found in conventional agribusiness models and can be expected to continue to grow in these areas. Shortcomings of the current data collection tools that have led to limited knowledge about the scale and scope of Indigenous agricultural economies are discussed with implications for future research in the area.
Attaining Sustainable Food Systems in the Philippines through the Preservation of Philippine Food Identity View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Giselle Louise Lapid
This paper considers a fitting institutional tool to aid in attaining more sustainable food systems. The study emphasizes the inextricable link of inclusive and sustainable development to the integration of local food identities. This is best exemplified by the political tool known as Geographical Indications (GI), a legal instrument used to valorize heirloom products, ancestral knowledge and terroir. This instrument likewise safeguards producers and communities against fraudulence and poor practices prevalent in product value chains.
Latino/a Entrepreneurs in Washington State Agriculture View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Gilberto Mireles
Much of the literature on immigrant entrepreneurs focuses on entrepreneurial behaviors and outcomes. However, less is known about their attitudes and perceptions. This study examines the simultaneous expressions of an individualistic and meritocratic ethos coupled with an understanding of structural inequality and a call for greater governmental support found among immigrant entrepreneurs in the Washington State agriculture industry. The research is based on 46 interviews with immigrant entrepreneurs. We encountered contradictory findings with respondents demonstrating a strong adherence to American Dream ideology alongside an understanding of structural barriers to their entrepreneurial endeavors. We use intersectional theory and the concept of legal political embeddedness to argue that occupational status positions Hispanic entrepreneurs in relation to state regulatory regimes, which provides the structural conditioning for the emergence of a particular set of attitudes. This explains the contradictory attitudes among immigrant entrepreneurs and their simultaneous commonalities and differences with other entrepreneurs.
