About Braiding Food Systems

Braiding Food Systems is a three-year community-led research project conducted in collaboration with Red Rock Indian Band, Netmizaaggamig Nishnaabeg, Biinjitiwaabik Zaagging Anishinaabek and the University of Guelph. This project supports the re-establishment of community seed systems by bringing together Indigenous and non-Indigenous perspectives in learning and action; promoting community-led selection; saving and reintroducing heritage seed varieties into community food systems. Braiding Food Systems supports communities working towards food security and food sovereignty in Northern Ontario.

The project has four main objectives:

  1. Building collaborative partnership and establishing mutual trust – understanding that this is an ongoing, long-term and constantly evolving process
  2. Understanding the social-cultural, and ecological context of each community, identifying the elements that most impact food security and food sovereignty – which need to be addressed
  3. Enabling the creation of community gardens as spaces to trial and plant Indigenous crop varieties, build capacity for food growing, share knowledge between partners, and save and conserve seeds
  4. Providing policy and practical recommendations which respond to the multiple, complex and contextual needs of each of our community partners.