Yukon Food Security Roundtable organized by the AICBR
Yukon food costs are on the rise
Yukon food species are declining because of climate change and other factors
What does "Food Security" mean?
Food Security has been defined by the World Health Organization as being when all people at all times have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious food to maintain a healthy and active life.
We all know that the cost of food in the Yukon has been increasing rapidly and it's likely to continue. Research indicates that climate change is impacting the availability of food from the land and the water and that these changes may continue for some time into the future.
It's been reported that 21% of Yukon residents are reportedly food insecure compared to 15% of Canadians (source).
This means that despite the number of food-related activities underway in the Yukon, there are still people going to bed hungry, and it's going to get worse.
To work towards achieving sustainable food security for all Yukon residents, the Roundtable will bring together participants from multiple governments, NGOs, growers, distributors and communities who contribute to food security in the Yukon, with the purpose of increasing awareness about food security from various perspectives and identifying opportunities for collaboration. The development of a "shared food security agenda" in the Yukon will contribute to moving towards more coordinated actions and outcomes now and in the future.
The Roundtable will take place in Whitehorse in May of 2016.
Please contact us at info@aicbr.ca or 867-668-3393 if you are interested in being involved.
Working Together to Grow More 3
Join us for our third Community Gardeners' Gathering - Working Together to Grow More 3 on March 22 and 23, 2016. We have welcomed members from all Yukon communities in past years and hope to have a community garden grower from each community this year. Please share this invitation with other members of your community who run Yukon community gardens, or are interested in becoming more involved in the development of community gardens.
- $75 Registration Fee for gathering due by March 4, 2016
- Extra $50 registration fee for optional public seed saving and production workshop on Thursday, March 24.
- To register please contact Heidi by phone at 867.333.0843, or by email at heidi@northwestel.net.
Norma's Story wins best Canadian short!
"Tread Lightly' was one of the messages of the National Film Boards Canadian short entitled "Norma's Story". Our very own Norma Kassi tells her story of growing up in Old Crow and the way that climate change has affected the land and the people.
"Norma's Story" won best Candian short at Planet in Focus in Toronto this October 2015. This short film was also selected for showing at Montreal First Peoples Film Festival, Chicago International Social Change Film Festival, and the 18th Annual United Nations Association Film Festival.
Hello from Concordia University.
Katelyn and Marilyn take it all in this past November at "Creating Common Ground: The Community Mapping National Summit" held at Concordia University in Montreal. Katelyn presented the healthy living map of health eating and active living programs in Yukon and Northwest Territories. Marilyn shared her experiences of mapping from an Indigenous perspective.
AICBR's Norma Kassi and Marilyn Van Bibber all geared up to snowmobile out to Tatleman Lake for the "Keeping our Traditions" project with the Selkirk First Nation and our friends over at BYTE. This was a 5 day land-based youth, mental health, and climate change camp.
AICBR's Norma Kassi weighs in as hunger gnaws in Canada's North.
"This shift away from traditional foods towards imported goods shipped into the north at high cost, has had a profound impact on the region's indigenous people".
Click to read Chris Arsenault's article published on Reuters
SCOPe, hosted a panel "Engaging First Nations communities in scientific research: lessons for successful and meaningful collaboration panel discussion" at Yukon College on January 21, 2016.
Norma Kassi, Arctic Institute for Community-Based Research along with; Bob Van Dijken, Council of Yukon First Nations; and David Silas, Yukon College all contributed to this panel discussion.
Katelyn Friendship presented in the webinar "Exciting Intersections for Ecohealth in Action: Northern remote communities & you & new ways of engaging". Testimonial from the webinar, "Lovely example of simultaneously building both engagement and capacity with youth. Also an inspirational example of linking determinants of health and health itself".
Events and announcements
- Working Together to Grow More 3: Community Gardeners Workshop is set to take place between March 22-23, 2016.
- Katelyn Friendship, our acting ED, got married on Saturday, January 30, 2016! Don't worry everyone, she did take ONE day to get ready for the big day...