Libraries at University of Nebraska-Lincoln
UNL Libraries: Faculty Publications
Document Type
Report
Date of this Version
8-2025
Citation
Published by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Tribal Extension Office, August 2025
doi: 10.32873/unl.dc.oth.021
Abstract
Executive Summary
This white paper examines the historical, ecological, and systemic challenges facing Indigenous food sovereignty, emphasizing the urgent need to center Indigenous Science—a holistic framework combining empirical observation with cultural wisdom passed down through millennia (Cajete and Williams, 2020). Indigenous Science represents the synthesis of two core components: the scientific, derived from thousands of years of observation and experimentation with the natural world, and the cultural, emerging from Creation stories and traditional practices that establish reciprocal relationships with the natural world (Grey and Patel, 2015).
Drawing on federal policies, Tribal-led initiatives, and academic research, we outline actionable pathways to address systemic inequities, restore Indigenous stewardship, and Indigenous Food Sovereignty. Case studies from the United States Department of Agriculture's 2024 initiatives demonstrate the viability of integrating Indigenous Science with federal conservation efforts (USDA, 2024), while recommendations prioritize land repatriation, policy reform, and cultural protections to combat ongoing colonialism, ecological degradation, and Indigenous economic development through food sovereignty.
Comments
Copyright 2025, the authors. Open access
License: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0