Indigenous food sovereignty and tourism: the Chakra Route in the Amazon region of Ecuador

Abstract

This research applies the concept of food sovereignty as a framework to explore the impacts of tourism on Indigenous food systems in the Chakra Chocolate and Tourism Route (referred to as the “Chakra Route” in the paper), a tourist destination in the Amazon region of Ecuador that aims to improve the livelihoods of Kichwa people. Using a qualitative and collaborative research approach, we examine how Kichwa and non-Kichwa people in this destination area understand food sovereignty, particularly concerning tourism development. Findings show that chakra gardens, a traditional agroforestry method, offer a symbolic and practical embodiment of food sovereignty for local people. Participants expressed a variety of values and concerns regarding tourism and chakra, including on destination branding; the role Indigenous women and their traditional knowledge play in tourism; the food choices promoted to tourists; self-determination and the level of participation of Indigenous people in governance of the route. Overall, our research contributes to a pluralistic notion of justice in Indigenous tourism and illustrates how the study of food sovereignty in this Amazonia destination can serve as a holistic and collaborative frame for exploring the multidimensional impacts of tourism on communal well-being, food security, and biodiversity and cultural conservation.