Long before the United States existed, this land has been and continues to be inhabited by hundreds of distinct Indigenous nations. Methods of resource utilization, harvesting, agricultural and management practices differ by region and by culture. However, through the examination of oral traditions and archaeological evidence, we know that a deep emotional and spiritual connection between humans and the land threads together most, and potentially all, of the belief systems of native peoples on this continent. Highly diverse Indigenous spirituality systems and creation stories set the foundation of a dynamic, living universe, upon which all beings are interconnected. Storytelling, a critical facet of Indigenous transmission, has passed down generations of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), providing a framework for responsible, sustainable human interaction and understanding of the natural world.
Strides have been made in the U.S and elsewhere to improve sustainability and reduce the harmful effects of our dominant food production system, partly by incorporating practices that are considered standard within the organic farming methodology, such as cover cropping. However, the prevalence of, and forced dependence upon industrial agriculture continues to undermine Indigenous food sovereignty and utilization of TEK in farming and ranching, as well as disproportionately affect the physical and mental health of Native communities.
“Indigenous food sovereignty” is not a universally defined concept, but generally refers to a community’s ability to control, oversee and cater their food production and distribution to the determined nutritional and cultural needs of the people. Food sovereignty additionally seeks to establish food security, working to eradicate hunger and poverty by emphasizing community engagement, and making healthy, nutritious food widely available. A large component of the food sovereignty movement in the United States centers around the reincorporation of traditional food sources, as well as cultivation and preparation processes. Overall, supporting food sovereignty means supporting decolonization: restoring many Indigenous peoples to their historical role as highly successful custodians and managers of the earth.
At its roots, organic and regenerative agriculture both seek to foster a greater understanding of the needs of the land, fostering a harmonious relationship between the farmer, the farm, and the consumer. The organic system was defined in response to the advent of chemical pesticides, herbicides, and fertilizers in the 1930s and 40s, a shunning of attempts to naturally manage agricultural land in ways that would build soil resilience. The holistic philosophy behind organic and regenerative agriculture methods are rooted in TEK, and in the goal of seeking to mend previous anthropogenic damage, a result of colonization, capitalism, and industrialization. Focusing on the rebuilding of soil health, conservation of water, reduction of runoff, and practices such as polyculture (growing multiple, mutually beneficial crops on the same plot) all tie in to create an approach that can work in tandem with the uplifting of native techniques of farming and environmental maintenance.