Stories of Food, Culture and Community Resiliency
Building Sustainable Local and Traditional Food Systems as an Adaptation to Climate Change in the Yukon
Climate change is considered one of the greatest threats to our survival on this planet and the North is warming faster than any other place on earth, changing the health of society and ecosystems in significant ways.
Over the last half century, the average annual temperature in Northern Canada increased by 2.3°C (with a range of 4-6°C average rise in winter). This is roughly three times the rate of the rest of the world.
Northern communities, especially Indigenous communities are at the forefront of these rapid changes, witnessing their lands, waters, air, and the species who live there shifting before their eyes.
Warmer Winters
Northern communities are experiencing warmer winters in general. This has led to later lake and river freeze-up and an earlier thaw; glaciers are melting, leading to what scientists are calling ' river piracy ' and shifting groundwater flow patterns; there is a thinner snowpack and ice stability is unpredictable, which impacts migrating land animals as well as humans who hunt and fish for self sufficiency.
Fish and Fisheries
Many people across Yukon communities have noticed a decline in certain fish species as well as changes to fish quality, particularly in the texture of the fish meat.
Fisheries practices are being affected because the fish are not arriving where they are expected, instead moving deeper and to different areas in search of cooler water temperatures.
Land Impacts
Erosion and permafrost melt are literally shifting the land beneath our feet. This threatens our infrastructure as well as the roads and pathways which are relied upon for the transportation of goods as well as for traditional and cultural pursuits.
Forest composition is also changing due to lack of groundwater regeneration and changing precipitation patterns, favouring drier evergreen species in some regions. As forests dry out, they become fodder for wildfires, further threatening safety of our communities.
Note: The above observations come from various community assessments across Yukon, including the Yukon Indigenous Community Climate Change Champion project , Kluane First Nation Food Security Strategy and Selkirk First Nations Adapting to Climate Change and Keeping our Traditions , among others; however, these observations have been echoed across the North in many other community studies. To explore more in depth about how climate change has impacted traditional and local food security in the North, please read: Impacts of Climate Change on Traditional and Local Food Consumption in the Yukon, Literature Scoping Review.
The most common message that we can glean from these observations is that we are all interconnected, we all must live in relation to the land and to each other because a change in one species has a ripple effect throughout the ecosystem. Ultimately, the impacts of these changes threaten the health and wellbeing of our communities.
With a noticeable reduction in many traditional food species and shifting behaviours as a result of social, ecological and economic changes in our northern communities, traditional food systems are being replaced with more market-based foods. This transition is not new and while there is a resilience in traditional food practices of Indigenous communities coupled with innovation in community agriculture and northern growing techniques taking form, the North is still largely reliant on the South for most of our goods and services.
Defining Yukon's Food System
There are multiple components which make up Yukon's food system - for simplicity, we have characterized these into the local food system, comprising of agricultural foods and products produced and consumed in the Yukon; the traditional food system, made up of land, air and water species and hunting, gathering and fishing practices; and the market food system, which is made up of food obtained through the market economy, such as food bought at a grocery store, largely of non-local origin.
Image: The image clip on the right is from the graphic summary, Map. Connect. Adapt - Mobilizing Knowledge for Northern Community Climate Change Adaptation and Food Systems Development , which depicts the ways in which our complex food system is impacted by a changing climate.
Local Food Consumption
It is loosely estimated that only 2% of food currently consumed by Yukoners is locally produced. Farming is not a new concept in the Yukon; the first crops and livestock began popping up around the late 1800s. Agricultural activities have fluctuated in the territory because of a variety of factors throughout history, starting with the Gold Rush in the Klondike region and the influx of prospectors demanding fresh, Yukon grown produce; to the period between 1940-1960, when the construction of the Alaska highway eased the demand for local food due to the new ability to ship food from the South by road; and later, in the 1970s, when there was a resurgence of farming in the territory. Many diverse and valuable farming enterprises are still in operation today.
According to the 2016 Census, there were 142 farms across the territory (comprising an area of 10,330 hectares, with 6,801 ha under production - crops and pasture), which is an increase from the 130 farms in operation in 2011.
This accounts for an 9.2% increase in the number of farms operating in Yukon. This is a change from the downward trend in farm numbers from previous census years. (Yukon Agriculture State of the Industry 2013 to 2017)
Currently, less than 2% of Yukon's surface is suitable for agriculture.
Table 1: The extent of crop and livestock/poultry production in the territory, derived and adapted from data in the Yukon Agriculture - State of the Industry Report (2013 to 2017).
While the annual yield of agricultural production is expected to increase across the arctic and sub-arctic regions in future decades due to warming temperatures and greater precipitation in some of regions, these climate change related trends will result in further challenges. Notably, with warmer weather there is faster evaporation which halts groundwater regeneration; this means farms will require more irrigation to support production. There are also new invasive species and pests which are adapted to warmer temperatures. The soil composition may also change; healthy soil is necessary for sustaining various crops.
Thus, the case for the benefits of climate change to our agricultural capacity in the north is not so cut and dry. While it may bring us opportunities, we have to respect that these systems are dynamic and ever-changing and learn to plan for the long-term when building our local food systems to ensure they are more resilient and adaptive to the warming climate. We can learn a lot from the knowledge passed down through northern farming families but also from Indigenous Elders about the interrelationship between the land, air and water and how we can live and thrive in harmony with these systems; our practices must reflect this local and traditional knowledge in order to adhere to the realities of the North, instead of following southern agricultural models.
Traditional Food Consumption
Traditional food is a main source of food for many Indigenous peoples in the Yukon. Research conducted by the Centre for Indigenous Peoples’ Nutrition and Environment (CINE) at McGill University between 1995-1998 looked at consumption patterns of 107 traditional food species across 10 Yukon First Nations communities and found that traditional food was consumed 57% of the days in the study and included more than seventy species of plants and animals. Within each community, 25 households were sampled (or 10% of households, whichever was larger).
Other findings in the study showed that:
- 70% of households reported hunting or fishing in the last 3 months from the date of the study;
- 58% gathered plants;
- 18% planted a garden;
- 39% of participants said they would not be able to afford the store-bought food that would be needed to replace their traditional food consumption;
- summer consumption (80%) was higher than winter consumption (40%);
- young adults were consuming less traditional food; and
- traditional food made up 9-38% of total dietary energy, depending on community.
Recent estimations of traditional food consumption were not available, so it is difficult to offer a comparison of how climate change may be affecting people's diets.
What we know however, is that the quality of people's diets who regularly eat traditional foods is higher; traditional foods contain many important nutrients and are a key component of health and wellbeing.
"Eating fish is also good for the mind, body and spirit. When you have a good meal of healthy fish, you feel physically and emotionally satisfied. Fish is full of nutrients and helps fight against diabetes. Fishing brings us closer to nature and is one of the ways that people can stay strong mentally and spiritually."
The above quote is from Selkirk First Nations Keeping our Traditions project ( Adapting to Climate Change and Keeping our Traditions ), which explored the question "What do we do at fish camp when there are no fish?". The importance of fish camps to the wellbeing of Selkirk First Nations people is well described in the report and lots of ideas for adaptation were suggested to keep traditional practices alive, particularly for the inclusion of and promotion of youth wellness.
Photo: Salmon drying in Pelly Crossing (Keeping our Traditions Project).
Market Foods
The majority of our food in the Yukon gets shipped up from the South by one major highway. Unlike our northern neighbours, NWT and Nunavut, all but one of our communities is accessible by road, with the exception of Old Crow.
This leaves us vulnerable to supply chain threats, many of which are outside our control. Natural disasters like floods and wildfires are on the rise and don't just leave natural destruction in their wake, but also impact our wider food system.
"As we’ve seen in the past, when the highway closes due to floods, fires, or other climate related effects, we are cut off from our food. This leaves us vulnerable to food insecurity. We need to talk about establishing an emergency food plan, which includes self-sufficiency. "
- The above quote is from Yukon Indigenous Community Climate Change Champion Project, Mayo Community Assessment, 2019. The assessment explored climate changes being observed by the community and expanded on priorities for adaptation.
Cost of Food
The cost of food across Yukon varies by community. According to research by the Yukon Anti-Poverty Coalition in 2017, the average weekly cost of a basic nutritious diet for a family of four (as defined by Health Canada's National Nutritious Food Basket) is highest in Old Crow ($500.24), followed by Carcross ($426.33) and Haines Junction ($380.80). These communities represent both the furthest (Old Crow) and the closest (Carcross and Haines Junction) communities from Whitehorse, where the average weekly cost of a basic nutritious diet is $274.78.
Image: An excerpt from the report, The Cost of Healthy Eating in the Yukon, 2017 , authored by Kendall Hammond depicting the cost of food across Yukon communities.
Food Insecurity
According to the Canadian Community Health Survey in 2017-18, 16.9% of Yukon households were experiencing food insecurity. Yukon was the third most food insecure region in the country (highest being in Nunavut (57%) and second highest being in NWT (21.6%)). Since 2011-12, the 2017-18 survey was the first time data was collected across all provinces and territories.
"For Northern Indigenous Peoples, food security is more than just having a full stomach; food is linked to identity, culture and way of life. Food is central to the physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health of Indigenous Peoples. It is an issue tied closely with survival and rights of self-determination."
The above excerpt is from the article, " Stories of Yukon Food Security ", published in the Northern Public Affairs Magazine in 2017.
Image: This image clip is from PROOF's report, Household Food Insecurity in Canada 2017/18 .
Our food, biodiversity and very survival are at risk. We need to look after our lands, animals, waters, air, as well as each other in order to protect our food and water security for long-term health and wellbeing. We need to plan together for our collective futures.
Youth Statement, Yukon Indigenous Community Climate Change Champion Training, November 2017
The following stories from communities in the Yukon show what is possible when a community works together to build local food resiliency.
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Carcross/Tagish First Nation Porcupine Creek Farm
In fall 2017, the Carcross/Tagish First Nation (CTFN) purchased over 150 acres of prime farmland outside of the community of Carcross, about 12km along the Tagish Road. Carcross is located in the south of the territory and is home to approximately 506 people, according to the Yukon Bureau of Statistics (June 2018). The farm project reflects an expansion of existing gardening, beekeeping and animal husbandry initiatives undertaken by the First Nation government's Heritage, Lands and Natural Resources (HLNR) department and is part of the community's move to become more self-reliant and food sustainable. Not only that, but the farm has educational, community building and tourism components in order to help reconnect community members as well as newcomers and visitors to the land. The farm offers a way to share Indigenous values of "respect, reciprocity and relationship" as it relates to food sovereignty, says Tami Grantham, Senior Manager, of the HLNR department (August 2018).
After the 2012 washout of the Alaska Highway, food security became a key priority for the community. The community does not have a grocery store and so many residents rely on travelling the 145km (return) trip to Whitehorse to purchase groceries and other goods. This adds considerably to the cost of food.
According to the community's climate change assessment , which was a collaboration between CTFN and the Arctic Institute of Community-Based Research (see the YIC4 project ), during the first harvest year of 2018, the community farm raised 500 roasting chickens, 40 turkeys, 20-25 rabbits, eight butcher pigs, and produced 10 dozen eggs/day with their laying hens. The farm also has 10 beehives, berry patches and crabapple trees. New additions to the farm include a team of horses who may offer opportunity for agri-tourism in the future.
Having a farm allows the community to access higher quality, organic food, especially to those more vulnerable to food insecurity such as Elders and those on Temporary Financial Assistance, who now have access to dedicated plots to grow their own food; much of the food is also donated to Elders, single parents, families on social assistance, the daycare, and used for community dinners. The Farm Manager and Community Garden Manager are in charge of farm operations and there are also opportunities for youth to participate.
The farm project is a promising example of what is possible when a community comes together to achieve a common vision. What started as a student-run gardening project, spurred by a need for community food sovereignty and food security, has evolved into a full fledged working farm. Farming in the Yukon is not without its challenges, especially as costs are high; managerial responsibilities of running a large farm, year-round are extensive; small communities may struggle with finding enough personnel to help out; and building in economic opportunities to self-sustain the initiative may conflict with the desire to offer greater food security for northern communities; these in addition to food storage and animal maintenance difficulties during the cold winter months make northern farming difficult. Despite northern agricultural challenges, the community of Carcross is dedicated to learning and adapting in order to build a more sustainable local food system now and into the future.
Learn more about Carcross' adaptation efforts in the following report - Our Life is in the Water | Our Breath is in the Water : Building Self-sufficiency and Preserving our Stories for the Next Seven Generations - Assessing Climate Change in Carcross, Yukon (March 2019).
Photos: These photos were taken during the Carcross community assessment (as part of the YIC4 Project). The first four photos are of the farm and community garden, while the fifth is of traditional medicines which were collected as part of the Carcross Land Stewardship Program , another food system/climate change-related project.
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Northern Tutchone May Gathering
Moving north, in the central part of the territory, lie the communities of Carmacks (Little Salmon Carmacks First Nation), Pelly Crossing (Selkirk First Nation) and Mayo (First Nation of Na-Cho Nyäk Dun), which are part of the Northern Tutchone nation. Each spring, one of the three communities hosts the Northern Tutchone May Gathering, an on-the-land gathering for sharing of Traditional Knowledge, collective decision-making about species management and celebration of traditional practices. What emerged through an Elder's Resolution in 2000 as a time to monitor and report on traditional harvesting as part of the Final and Self-Government Agreements, continues today as a unique and important part of land management and promotion of the traditional Northern Tutchone principles of respect, caring, sharing, and teaching.
At the May Gathering, traditional skills and harvesting are taught and Elders, staff and citizens from the three Northern Tutchone First Nations discuss the status of important traditional wildlife and fish. It is a time for the communities to come together, discuss how the species are doing, promote intergenerational sharing and traditional skills development as well as celebrate Northern Tutchone culture and promote land stewardship.
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Keeping Our Traditions
The individual First Nation communities are also doing their own monitoring and cultural initiatives for food system preservation and climate change adaptation. For example, Selkirk First Nation (SFN) hosts various on-the-land activities which aim to build traditional skills and connect youth with Elders and their history.
The Keeping Our Traditions project in 2015/16 aimed to build off of previous research in the community about climate change with the specific aim to develop strategies for keeping traditional culture, values and practices alive at the fish camp when there are no fish. It also focused specifically on youth and how to promote on-the-land activities as a mechanism for mental health and wellness.
Pelly Crossing sits along the Pelly River, west of its confluence at the Yukon River, which flows north to the Bering Sea. The decline of salmon has been of particular concern for many who live along the Yukon River and related river systems. The traditional fish camp is considered a vital component of community food security and enabling intergenerational knowledge exchange for youth self-sufficiency. Salmon is a most savoured traditional food of the Northern Tutchone people. It not only protects the body from disease but it feeds the soul and spirit of the community. Traditional practices, on-the-land immersion and eating traditional food is considered by many First Nations as a pathway to mental health and wellness.
With the threat of climate change on traditional food systems increasing, communities are not only concerned about the disappearance of key species, like the salmon, but also fear the impact that this disappearance has on traditions, which are at the heart of community wellbeing. Through the Keeping Our Traditions project and others like it, Selkirk First Nations has been prioritizing climate change adaptation and how this relates to food security planning. Initiatives like the Outdoor Education Program at the Eliza Van Bibber School, which teaches children and youth culture and traditional land and survival skills, as well harvest, fish and culture camps gives the community multiple opportunities to connect youth to the land. Fish monitoring and management projects such as the salmon sonar setup in the Pelly River and ongoing land use research also provides valuable information about the number of salmon coming up the river and people's land use practices. This detailed information helps decision-makers in the community implement conservation measures if needed. For example, for a number of years, the community has voluntarily limited salmon fishing in an attempt to let the threatened population bounce back.
Keeping eyes and ears on the land, listening to Traditional Knowledge and integrating western scientific methods into research efforts is a way by which the community is adapting to a changing climate and making important food security decisions. Preserving traditional practices even as climate change threatens key traditional species, through promoting other activities at the fish camp like arts, trapping and eating other fish, among other ideas that the community has put forward, ensures that traditions can still remain protective for youth and community health and wellness for generations to come.
Photos: These photos were taken by youth during summer and winter fish camps as part of the Keeping Our Traditions project. This project was a collaboration between SFN and the Arctic Institute of Community-Based Research.
These stories are just some of the food system activities going on across Yukon communities. The themes which connect our food systems with climate change are present throughout communities across the Yukon. What is clear is that food is part of the land and the land is part of the community. With land preservation comes cultural preservation. Food is culture, it is community, it is healing.
Community Resiliency Starts as a Seed in the Ground
Strengthening local food systems within Yukon communities has to recognize the relationships between people, the land and the food that feeds us mentally, spiritually, socially, and physically. Climate change and food insecurity are complex and interrelated issues. Adapting to climate change and securing our food for the future will take more than a one-size fits all approach, but a number of policy, research and program-level approaches are needed. One particular project may not solve the issue of food insecurity in a community but it can allow community a means of food sovereignty, meaning simply, the ability to define and participate in one's own food system. Food system approaches to the issue of climate change adaptation and mitigation, if implemented with a whole-of-community process of integration in mind, have the potential to position communities in a way that they can grow their economies, reconnect to their food system, conserve their knowledge, languages and land, and protect their most vulnerable. Supporting community-level food system initiatives so that they are sustainable in the long-term, able to be community-driven and culturally appropriate, can be both an adaptation to climate change as well as a way to mitigate its effects.
"I guess the easiest way to put it is...it's very rewarding to be able to look after yourself. It think that's the most important thing. It can be done and that, yeah, it's a simple as that. WE CAN DO IT. TOGETHER WE CAN DO IT."
Interview Participant, Yukon Indigenous Community Climate Change Champion Community Assessment (Carcross), August 2019
Within our highly globalized food system, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vulnerabilities that have existed for decades are going from cracks to chasms, the effects of a broken system reverberating into our homes and our hearts. Coupled with the threat of climate change on our survival, having the ability to feed oneself in the ways that are most culturally and ecologically respectful is paramount to sustaining resiliency. Protecting and promoting both local and traditional food systems, which respect the relationship with the land that Indigenous and non-Indigenous Northerners have is not only a way we adapt to climate change but is also a way in which we thrive. Just like a plant starts as a seed in the ground, which needs care, clean water, enough sunlight, good, healthy soil, and a loving hand to tend to it, so too must we take care of our communities in order to enable them to grow and thrive from the inside out. Resiliency starts from within. We need to tend to it in order for it to flourish.
Explore the map and find other food system initiatives.
Note: to scroll past the interactive map, either use the bar on the right to scroll down or use your fingers but make sure you are
Explore the Map!
Move your cursors around on the screen and click on the circles to explore projects at random, or use the filter function in the left hand corner.
This numbered circle over Carmacks indicates that there were 29 food system initiatives found in Carmacks in 2018.
The numbered circles on the map indicate the amount of initiatives clustered in that area. As you zoom in and out of the map (using the + and - buttons in the top right hand corner), the clusters conglomerate and separate out to the community level. The colours indicate the proportion of different initiative types. There are eight initiative types which relate to different areas of the food system.
Initiatives are clustered down to the community level.
Each initiative is depicted as an icon representing the type of food system initiative. You can click on the icon to read more about the initiative, including finding contact information, information on successes and challenges, funding sources, and whether there is a cost associated to participation.
You can click on More Info in the pop-up to learn more about the initiative.
To Filter: Click on the three lines in the top left corner to filter by initiative type, community, target group, reach, region, structure, and current status.
Note: You may also download the raw data in an excel file.
