Traditional Food Systems Research Articles

Edible insects in the metabolomics era. First steps towards the implementation of entometabolomics in food systems

BackgroundEdible insects are a nutritious and sustainable alternative source of animal proteins, and consequently are nowadays promoted as human food and animal feed worldwide. Ensuring the quality, safety, and traceability of insect foods is thus critical to maintain a safe and economically sustainable supply chain. Providing a simultaneous analysis of a wide range of chemical compounds, metabolomics and non-target screening (NTS) have become important mass spectrometry-based tools in the field of food sciences. At this moment, however, the application of these analytical techniques to edible insect-related topics has been largely overlooked. Scope and approachIn this Commentary, we explore the potential of “entometabolomics” for food science and industry. We address the hurdles associated with safety, quality, and traceability of insects as food and feed and current issues related with insect industrial applications. Key findings and conclusionsCurrent applications of metabolomics and NTS in traditional food systems are presented. We propose ways to translate and implement such techniques for the edible insect sector. Even if the broad applicability of metabolomics and NTS approaches is still hampered by technical challenges, we show the high potential of entometabolomics when implemented into the insect food and feed industry and research.

The Fading Wild Plant Food-Medicines in Upper Chitral, NW Pakistan.

The subject of food–medicines (foods ingested in order to obtain a therapeutic activity or to prevent diseases) is garnering increasing attention from both ethnobiologists and ethnopharmacologists as diet-related chronic diseases are one of the major problems resulting in a large proportion of deaths globally, which calls for interest from the scientific community to make sensible decisions in the field of food and medicine. In this regard, the current study is an important attempt at providing baseline data for developing healthy and curative food ingredients. This study aimed at recording the culinary and medicinal uses of wild food plants (WFPs) in the remote Mastuj Valley, located at the extreme north of Chitral District, Pakistan. An ethnobotanical survey was completed via 30 in-depth semi-structured interviews with local knowledge holders to record the food and medicinal uses of WFPs in the study area. A total of 43 WFPs were recorded, most of which were used as cooked vegetables and raw snacks. Leaves were the most frequently used plant part. A remarkable proportion (81%) of use reports for the recorded wild plant taxa were quoted as food–medicines or medicinal foods, while very few were reported as either food or medicines, without any relationship between uses in these two domains. Previous ethnomedicinal studies from nearby regions have shown that most of the recorded wild plants have been used as medicines, thus supporting the findings of the current study. A literature survey revealed that many of the reported medicinal uses (33%) for the quoted WFPs were not verifiable on PubMed as they have not been studied for their respective medicinal actions. We observed that most of the plants quoted here have disappeared from the traditional food and medicinal system, which may be attributed to the invasion of the food market and the prevalence of allopathic medicine. However, knowledge of these wild plants is still alive in memory, and women are the main holders of cultural knowledge as they use it to manage the cooking and processing of WFPs. Therefore, in this context, we strongly recommend the preservation of local biocultural heritage, promoted through future development and educational programs, which could represent a timely response to the loss of cultural and traditional knowledge.

“Our Own Foods as a Healing”: The Role of Health in the Native American Food Sovereignty Movement

AbstractA wealth of literature has emerged over the past two decades exploring the need for food sovereignty activism to relocalize food production power, promote economic justice, and support more environmentally friendly means of producing food and getting it on the table. What has been less explored is the role of health in the desire to promote food sovereignty. First laying out the history of colonization on Native North American food systems, and then tracing the disease patterns that have emerged from this history, this essay ultimately explores how notions of health motivate and drive Native chefs and farmers who describe themselves as working toward food sovereignty for their communities. Drawing on interviews with members of Native American community‐based farming, gardening, and seed‐saving projects, Native chefs, as well as participation in food sovereignty summits, conferences, and cooking events, this essay illustrates the ways in which actors in the Native American food sovereignty movement are revitalizing, reclaiming, restoring, and perpetuating traditional food systems to promote good physical, cultural, and spiritual health.

Assessing constraints to agricultural development in circumpolar Canada through an innovation systems lens

CONTEXTThe circumpolar region of Canada experiences high rates of food insecurity due to the harsh climate and terrain and limited infrastructural capacity restricting local production and environmental changes impacting traditional food systems. As such, the region heavily relies on imported commodities which are expensive and of low nutritional quality. Agricultural development has the potential to mitigate circumpolar food insecurity and is underway to various degrees throughout the region, forming a complex and emerging agricultural system. OBJECTIVEUsing a rapid appraisal of agricultural innovation systems (RAAIS) approach, we studied the status of agricultural development across circumpolar Canada, e.g., Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Nunavik (Quebec) and Nunatsiavut (Newfoundland and Labrador). METHODSForty semi-structured interviews regarding constraints to agricultural development in circumpolar regions were conducted with stakeholders belonging to one or more of the following groups: farmers, government, private sector, non-governmental organizations and individuals in the fields of research and training. Constraints were labeled with a descriptive code, then sorted according to dimensions (biophysical, economic, institutional, political, sociocultural or technological) and structural conditions for innovation. The frequency of each constraint was calculated to determine the weight of constraints by subregion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSConstraints varied between subregions, indicating that innovations should be subregion-specific and co-developed with local communities to ensure their success and longevity. Circumpolar agriculture was found to be most greatly restricted by economic barriers such as limited capital cost recovery, community buy-in, high operating costs and funding options. Among the four structural conditions for innovation used in RAAIS, constraints were somewhat equally distributed between capabilities and resources, infrastructure and assets, and institutions. At the time the study was undertaken, interaction and collaborations were less restrictive to agricultural development. Suggested strategies for facilitating agricultural development included financial incentives, agricultural training programs, and infrastructure development. SIGNIFICANCETo the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to apply AIS approaches to an emergent agricultural system and does so over a large and diverse region. The RAAIS approach effectively identified the numerous constraints to circumpolar agriculture, although the methodology did not account for the interconnectedness of constraints and resultant blocking mechanisms. Future research would benefit from combining AIS approaches with structural-functional analyses to mitigate these constraints and blocking mechanisms.

Uses, abundance perception, and potential geographical distribution of Smilax aristolochiifolia Mill (SMILACACEAE) on the Totonacapan Region of Puebla, Mexico

BackgroundIn some regions of Mexico, edible wild plants have been displaced or eliminated from the traditional food systems, mainly by changes in land use, booming monoculture, herbicide use, and by changes among the new generations in the traditional foods and diets of indigenous populations. In the Totonacapan region of Puebla, the gradual change from the traditional acahual plantation to coffee-type agroecosystems has provoked the displacement of old-growth forests and the eradication of wild plants since 1970. One of the wild species which has been used in traditional medicine and food recipes by the Totonac culture is Smilax aristolochiifolia (SMILACACEAE), known as “kgentsililh”. This species forms part of traditional Totonac recipes, in which the tender stems are still used in local medicine to treat menstrual pain, deal with dysentery, and prevent hair loss. According to the Maxent® Program, there are still potential areas with habitats suitable to promote its conservation in the Poblano Totonacapan.MethodsWe conducted 260 interviews with people in 13 locations in the northern Sierra of the State of Puebla. Variables taken into account in the interview related to the consumption frequency of the species, its abundance and distribution perception, reasons or arguments given by the Totonac indigenous population about the decreased presence of specimens of S. aristolochiifolia, its dates of collection, and the cutting prices of kgentsililh at the community level and in local markets. The relative abundance of S. aristolochiifolia was determined through 22 samples in 2ts of 600 m2. Later, its potential distribution in the state of Puebla was estimated using the Maxent® Program Ver. 3.3.3.ResultsOf the 260 Totonac families interviewed, 31% had stopped consuming kgentsililh. The residents reported that in the last 50 years the populations of this plant had diminished in the northern Sierra of the State of Puebla, mainly due to changes in land use, herbicide application, over-collection, and urban growth. In traditional medicine, the stem sap of S. aristolochiifolia is currently employed to help treat baldness, and the “tuberous root” or plant rhizome is used to prepare a tea infusion to treat dysentery. The cost of plant guides varies from 10.00 to 40.00 Mexican pesos for one bunch (around 0.5 to 2.00 US dollars), and every bundle consists of between 7 to 10 cuttings from 0.4 to 0.5 m long. From our 22 quadrats of sampling and collection of S. aristolochiifolia, we were able to recognize a total of 32 specimens. There is a considerable abundance of kgentsililh in acahual plantations and old-growth forests (evergreen lowland and mid-elevation perennial forest) concerning the coffee-type plantations and milpas. According to our analysis using the Maxent Program®, eight physical and climatic variables have a direct relationship to the potential distribution of the species.ConclusionsSmilax aristolochiifolia is still a plant of socioeconomic importance, mainly because of its food value and its use in traditional medicine by indigenous families in Poblano Totonacapan. It is evident that the villagers perceive that in the last 50 years the species has decreased its population mainly due to land-use change, the application of herbicides to the different family production units, and climate change. At the moment, there is no knowledge about the methods of propagation of the species, and therefore there is no intention on the part of the population to conserve the species. However, it would be of great importance to generate a biocultural conservation strategy and take advantage of the results obtained from the potential geographic distribution area, since according to the Maxent® Program, there are still potential areas with habitat suitable to promote conservation in Poblano Totonacapan.

Mainstreaming Local Food Species for Nutritional and Livelihood Security: Insights From Traditional Food Systems of Adi Community of Arunachal Pradesh, India.

This study brings out the critical role of lesser-known local plant species in the food, nutrition and livelihood security of Adi community in Arunachal Pradesh, India. Considering women as a major custodian in knowledge and practices on foods, a total of 90 Adi women and 60 key knowledgeable community members (thus a total of 150 participants) were selected from East Siang and Upper Siang districts of Arunachal Pradesh. Data were collected using combination of methods including recipe contest, focus group discussion, personal interviews and laboratory analyses. The results indicated that Adi women were able to identify 39 bioculturally important species from a range of locally available plant species. Used alone or with other foods, these plants remain central to the Adi people's cultural identity and livelihood security. In addition to improving food and nutritional security, these species accessed from different land use systems, are also sold on the local markets to generate decent incomes. Of the species identified by Adi women, 28 were culturally shared and used frequently in food and ethnomedicine. Laboratory analyses of the selected 22 species revealed exceptionally high levels of minerals and other nutrients, such as proteins and anti-oxidants, supporting their traditional use for health benefits. Our study results provide valuable insights to the researchers to explore the vast hidden potential of these and other similar species for improving nutritional well-being of local communities in marginal areas. Adequate policy support is needed to enable Adi and other such marginalized communities to cope with challenges being posed to traditional food systems.

Assessing the potential for collaborative governance to support cumulative effects assessment in the Indigenous Cree territory of Eeyou Istchee, Canada

This paper explores the potential for collaborative governance approaches to support Cumulative Effects Assessment (CEA) in the Cree territory of Eeyou Istchee, located in Northern Quebec, Canada, where a long history of large-scale hydroelectricity development, mining and forestry activities have negatively affected wildlife populations, imposing burdens on the traditional food systems and livelihoods of local Indigenous communities. Drawing on key informant interviews with policy actors from government, non-government and private sector organizations working on Impact Assessment in Eeyou Istchee, the potential for more decentralized and networked approaches to regional wildlife monitoring and baseline data collection in support of CEA is considered. Results suggest a shared willingness to collaborate towards improving the overall regional environmental conditions and to generate long-term data on wildlife population and distribution. Challenges include the absence of essential supporting programs (land-use plans, regional environmental frameworks, lead monitoring agencies, designated funding), and high levels of distrust between proponents and NGOs which combine to suppress the initiation of collaborative governance processes as well as the potential utility of any regional monitoring program that might be established. The need for leadership to facilitate reciprocal knowledge flows among actors, build trust and enable long-term cooperative structures based on a shared vision and goal congruency is identified.

Mapping oil palm-related land use change in Guatemala, 2003–2019: Implications for food security

The Guatemalan oil palm industry has had a contentious history marred with violent evictions, environmental damage, employment abuses, and ongoing poverty in producer regions. Previous studies have observed detrimental effects of the oil palm industry on food production and access, which has exacerbated food insecurity and spurred land conflicts with peasant communities. However, few have characterized and quantified the region-specific oil palm expansion over time. This study illustrates the geographic pattern of oil palm development in different parts of Guatemala and calculates the associated reduction in other types of land uses, with special focus on basic grain production, forests, and fallow land, which are key components of traditional food systems. It is found that in the northern provinces of Petén and Quiché, 36% and 63% of oil palm expansion occurred over former basic grain farmland, while 16% and 22% displaced fallow land, and 17% and 12% displaced tropical forests, just between 2010 and 2019. In the same decade, over 1500 ha of forest and about 2800 ha of basic grain farmland were converted to oil palm in Alta Verapaz. Significant, though less prominent, loss of forest and basic grain production was also detected in Izabal and along the country’s southern coast. It is concluded that oil palm has compromised local food systems in many poor rural regions where many households rely on locally produced and/or self-provisioned food. Continued uncontrolled oil palm expansion poses a threat to food security in producer regions, especially in the absence of strong social and environmental protections and enforcement of employment safety, equity, and fair pay.

An Analysis of Household Consumers’ Awareness, Perceptions, Attitudes and Behaviour Towards Irish Potato Procurement and Consumption in Urban Areas in Cameroon

The aim of this study was to measure the effects of townspeople’s origin and acculturation on Irish potato procurement and consumption in Cameroon. It is part of the logic of developing strategies for the introduction and diversification of urban dietary practices, to reduce hunger and undernourishment in urban areas. The study plans to discover new dishes and make them culturally and traditionally acceptable following local tastes and preferences. To provide a snapshot of Irish potato city dwellers’ consumers’ characteristics, the study used a cross-sectional design. The cross-sectional sample is made up of 180 subjects, taken in each of the 12 associations; aged at least 10 years, of people, originated from Irish potato-producing areas or non, chosen in Yaoundé city, i.e. 6 associations per category. They must have spent at least 2 years in the association, that is to say, that they have experience of urban life and have stabilized their food supply mode. The main idea was that subjects from producing areas are consumers of Irish potato, following traditional food consumption patterns and concepts of food availability, while those from non-producing areas are consumers who progressively integrate and adopt potato dishes into their diets through the impact of acculturation and exposure. The first was chosen according to the sociocultural factors determining the nature of the traditional food intake in the production areas. All regions in which Irish potato was not produced were considered as non-producing areas. Results show that the predisposition of traditional food systems and preferences lead city dwellers to consume specific foods in particular ways; all the people interviewed consume Irish potato, but not at the same rate; Irish potato dishes vary and people from non-producing areas already eat some dishes like fried potato and chips at high scale. Intercultural associations could thus be an important channel for sharing Irish potato consumption information.

Traditional and Indigenous Fruits and Vegetables for Food System Transformation.

ABSTRACTFruit and vegetable consumption is recommended in numerous food-based dietary guidelines and forms a key recommendation in many international statements related to healthy diets. There are thousands of fruit and vegetable species from which to choose, but despite this abundance from nature, populations in most countries neither produce nor consume the recommended daily amounts of fruits and vegetables. There is enormous potential to better incorporate the wealth of diverse fruit and vegetable species and varieties into food systems. Known and preserved by indigenous communities, these hidden food treasures can foster collaborative research and learning. This perspective from the Task Force on Traditional and Indigenous Food Systems and Nutrition of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) highlights 5 key actions that can be taken by individuals, communities, and nations to reshape dialogue about traditional and indigenous fruits and vegetables to benefit people and planetary ecosystems.

Food, fields and forage: A socio-ecological account of cultural transitions among the Gaddis of Himachal Pradesh in India

Traditional food systems of many ethnic communities in India directly depend on their symbiotic relationship with the surrounding natural resources and the local socio-ecological and cultural dynamics. However, in the light of development activities resulting in drastic socio-ecological changes, these communities are oftentimes found stranded with over-simplified and unsustainable food systems. Using an ethnographic methodology, we present the case of Gaddis – an agro-pastoral community of Himachal Pradesh in India. In this paper, we documented the on-going trade-offs in traditional livelihoods of the Gaddis and their land use patterns that cause a significant transition in the traditional food systems. Based on our observations, we argue that mapping the shifting political ecology of resources enables a better understanding of transitioning food systems and the consequent eco-cultural changes. While doing so, we emphasize the need for revisitng the existing praxis of tribal development in India with an urgent focus on holistic socio-ecological approaches.

TRADITIONAL DISHES IN THE FOOD SYSTEM OF AZERBAIJANES


 
 
 The article is devoted to the traditional food system of Azerbaijanis. It examines the technology of cooking national dishes, the place of the latter in the daily diet and ritual meals of Azerbaijanis. It is noted that in modern Azerbaijan, some of the rules of traditional food culture, etiquette, in particular when receiving national dishes and drinks, are observed mainly in family life. Today, national dishes are still used in everyday and festive meals. In the Mil-Mugan and Shirvan regions of Azerbaijan, table prayers are read before and after breakfast, lunch and dinner. The rules of etiquette provide special care and attention to the guest, elder, head of the family, children. For lunch and dinner, kebab, kalafur, pilaf, dolma, bozartma, etc. are specially prepared for the guest. The same national dishes were served on the Mavlid Holiday (in honor of the birth of the Prophet Muhammad) in the Mil-Mugan and Shirvan regions of Azerbaijan. The beneficial, healing properties of food are used in traditional medicine. Attention is drawn to the specifics of solemn meals, depending on the purposes of the ceremonies (mourning, wedding (engagement), family celebrations and folk holidays), as well as to the composition of dishes, the subtleties of the technology of their preparation for a large number of people. An extensive assortment of everyday, festive and ceremonial dishes, the degree of perfection of the rules of preparation, the traditional rules of table etiquette confirm the richness of the food culture of Azerbaijanis.

Traditional Food and Products to Achieve SDGs in India

The diversity of India has conserved through indigenous innovations, practices and skills and associated with community traditions and practices. The traditional food system plays a significant role in improving and strengthens Medicare system through improvement in the quality of life including health and nutritional status, food system with improving nutrient values, consumable products for other such as fermented food products like Sinki. A major proportion of the community is suffering from health problems such as Malnutrition, Malaria, Tuberculosis etc and also facing economic crisis due to minimum involvements of traditional knowledge, food and beverages, traditional food system and ignorance of their cultural acceptability in the modern health care, livelihood programme and development programme/policies. The Indigenous diet and tradition food system found helpful to fight with modern illnesses and potentially fulfill dietary recommendations for various micronutrients. The traditional fermented food/ beverage with cultural acceptability can also play an important role in the better livelihood of communities through enhanced food security and income generation via a valuable small scale enterprise option and marketable products. No poverty and Good health and Wellbeing are the most important goals of Sustainable Development-2030 will be achieved via wellbeing and development programme/policies with including culturally important traditional knowledge and traditional food of native and tribal comminutes. The present research paper aims to find out the socio-cultural and medicinal value of traditional food and products and also explore the possibilities of their marketing to achieve the SDGs.

Importance of the traditional food systems for First Nations adults living on reserves in Canada

ObjectiveTo describe the traditional food (TF) systems of First Nations in Canada, including intake, barriers and promoters.MethodsThe First Nations Food, Nutrition and Environment Study is a cross-Canada participatory study of First Nations adults below the 60th parallel that obtained data for communities excluded from other national studies. A food frequency questionnaire was used to establish frequency of TF intake (number of days in a year) to allow comparisons across ecozones/regions in Canada. Grams of TF intake were also calculated using frequency multiplied by average portions from 24-h recalls. Closed- and open-ended questions attempted to identify some of the key barriers and concerns regarding TF access and use. Multivariable analyses were run to determine what factors are associated with increased TF consumption.ResultsAcross communities, there is a strong preference by adults to have TF in the diet more often. Consumption of land animals was most frequently reported in most ecozones except for the Pacific Maritime and Mixedwood Plains, where fish and plants, respectively, were more frequently consumed. First Nations identified structural and environmental challenges such as development, government regulations and climate change, along with household barriers such as insufficient capital for equipment and transportation, lack of time and absence of a hunter in the household. Multivariable analyses revealed that the highest intake of TF occurred in the Taiga Plains ecozone, and for older individuals and men.ConclusionIdentifying solutions that empower First Nations at all levels is required to overcome the multiple challenges to the inclusion of TF in the diet.

A Comprehensive Appraisal of the Wild Food Plants and Food System of Tribal Cultures in the Hindu Kush Mountain Range; a Way Forward for Balancing Human Nutrition and Food Security

The tribal belt of the Hindu Kush mountains is famous for its unique culture, ethnography, wild food plants, food systems, and traditional knowledge. People in this region gather wild plants and plant parts using them directly or in traditional cuisine, or sell them in local markets. However, there is a huge lack of documentation of the food system, particularly that related to wild food plants (WFP). In the current study, we focus on the uses and contributions of WFPs in the traditional tribal food system of the Hindu Kush valleys along the Pakistan–Afghanistan border. Ethnobotanical data were gathered through questionnaire surveys of 84 informants, including 69 men and 15 women, belonging to 21 different villages of the chosen area. In tribal societies men and women rarely mix and thus very few women took part in the surveys. We documented 63 WFP species belonging to 34 botanical families, of which 27 were used as vegetables, 24 as fruits, six in different kinds of chutneys (starters), and six as fresh food species. Fruits were the most used part (41%), followed by leaves (24%), aerial parts (24%), seeds (7%), stems (3%), and young inflorescences (1%). The reported uses of Carthamus oxyacantha, Pinus roxburghii seeds, and Marsilea quadrifolia leaves are novel for the gastronomy of Pakistan. The results reveal that WFPs provide a significant contribution to local food systems and play a role in addressing human nutritional needs, which are usually not met through farming practices. The tribal peoples of the Hindu Kush use WFPs for their nutritional value, but also as a cultural practice—an inseparable component of the tribal community’s lifestyle. This important traditional knowledge about the gathering and consumption of WFPs, however, is eroding at an alarming rate among younger generations due to the introduction of fast-food, modernization, and globalization. Therefore, appropriate strategies are imperative not only to safeguard traditional plants and food knowledge and practices, as well as the cultural heritage attached to them, but also to foster food security and thus public healthcare via local wild foods in the region.

Library Considerations for the Colonial Impacts of Indigenous Cookbook Publishing


 
 
 
 According to Natifs (North American Traditional Indigenous Food Systems), the first action in understanding the Foundations of an Indigenous Food System Model is the “Removal of Colonized Thought.” food sovereignty, physical and spiritual connection to land, and sustainable food practices are interlocked with decolonial action. Considering Traditional Knowledge (TK), as intellectual property, what does it mean for libraries to collect books containing TK, such as cookbooks written by Indigenous authors, published by Indigenous publishers or otherwise dealing with Indigenous Food Systems? Mindful of the colonial impacts on cookbook publishing in Canada, the author proposes a 4-part framework for libraries when acquiring or weeding Indigenous cookbooks to and from their collections. Used as a tool, the framework promotes the stewardship of collections (and metadata) that do not perpetuate colonial violence through language and Eurocentrism, but champion Indigenous authors, publishers, and content. Written from the position of queer-settler, the essay provides examples of published works that meet the criteria of the framework, celebrating Indigenous Food Systems that predate librarianship’s colonial classification. Through personal narrative, the author demonstrates how the offerings of such texts can become integrated into a personal stewardship of the teachings being shared that directly informs the case for equitable collections management.
 
 
 

Of Kale and Caribou

Rates of food insecurity in Nunavut are the highest in Canada. This paper will focus on the federal government’s role in solving this problem, arguing that a thorough examination of the coherence of existing arrangements, institutions, programs, and regulations that impact food insecurity in Nunavut is needed. As an example, this paper will focus on three factors that contribute to food insecurity among the Inuit of Nunavut and policies that seek to address them or that exacerbate them: 1) high prices of food sourced from southern Canada, and the efficacy of the Government of Canada’s program, Nutrition North Canada, in decreasing those prices; 2) decreased rates of country food consumption and possible programming to increase that consumption; and 3) the role of large-scale infrastructure projects in damaging the Inuit traditional food system, followed by recommendations for the types of infrastructure projects that would strengthen food security, rather than harm it.

Climate Change, Cryosphere and Impacts in the Indian Himalayan Region

Climate change and related impacts over the Indian Himalayan Region (IHR) remains poorly quantified. The present study reviews observed and modelled changes in the climate, cryosphere and impacts related to hazards, agriculture and ecosystems. An increasing temperature trend over the IHR is reported, which over a few locations is found to be higher than the global average. For precipitation, a complex and inconsistent response with considerable variation in the sign and magnitude of change is observed. Future projections show significant warming. Climate-driven changes and impacts are clearly observed. Snow cover has declined since the 1960s, with an enhanced decreasing trend during the 1990s and variable trends since 2000. Glaciers are losing mass and retreating at varying rates since the early 20th century, with an exception over the Karakoram region. An observed heterogeneous response of glaciers to atmospheric warming is controlled by regional variations in topography, debris cover, circulation and precipitation. Initial assessments of permafrost extent of 1 million km2 across the IHR roughly translate into 14 times the glacier area. Extreme floods represent the most frequent natural disaster in the IHR. Studies have highlighted the significant threat from glacial lakes. Landslides occur in combination with heavy rainfall and flooding, with poor land-use practices such as road-cutting and deforestation being additional drivers. Climate change has also stressed traditional subsistence agriculture and food systems. Improving systematic and coordinated monitoring of climate and related impacts is crucial to contribute to effective climate change adaptation and response strategies.

Impacts of COVID-19 on agriculture and food systems in Pacific Island countries (PICs): Evidence from communities in Fiji and Solomon Islands

CONTEXTCOVID-19 mitigation measures including border lockdowns, social distancing, de-urbanization and restricted movements have been enforced to reduce the risks of COVID-19 arriving and spreading across PICs. To reduce the negative impacts of COVID-19 mitigation measures, governments have put in place a number of interventions to sustain food and income security. Both mitigation measures and interventions have had a number of impacts on agricultural production, food systems and dietary diversity at the national and household levels. OBJECTIVEOur paper conducted an exploratory analysis of immediate impacts of both COVID-19 mitigation measures and interventions on households and communities in PICs. Our aim is to better understand the implications of COVID-19 for PICs and identify knowledge gaps requiring further research and policy attention. METHODSTo understand the impacts of COVID-19 mitigation measures and interventions on food systems and diets in PICs, 13 communities were studied in Fiji and Solomon Islands in July-August 2020. In these communities, 46 focus group discussions were carried out and 425 households were interviewed. Insights were also derived from a series of online discussion sessions with local experts of Pacific Island food and agricultural systems in August and September 2020. To complement these discussions, an online search was conducted for available literature. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONSIdentified impacts include: 1) Reduced agricultural production, food availability and incomes due to a decline in local markets and loss of access to international markets; 2) Increased social conflict such as land disputes, theft of high-value crops and livestock, and environmental degradation resulting from urban-rural migration; 3) Reduced availability of seedlings, planting materials, equipment and labour in urban areas; 4) Reinvigoration of traditional food systems and local food production; and 5) Re-emergence of cultural safety networks and values, such as barter systems. Households in rural and urban communities appear to have responded positively to COVID-19 by increasing food production from home gardens, particularly root crops, vegetables and fruits. However, the limited diversity of agricultural production and decreased household incomes are reducing the already low dietary diversity score that existed pre-COVID-19 for households. SIGNIFICANCEThese findings have a number of implications for future policy and practice. Future interventions would benefit from being more inclusive of diverse partners, focusing on strengthening cultural and communal values, and taking a systemic and long-term perspective. COVID-19 has provided an opportunity to strengthen traditional food systems and re-evaluate, re-imagine and re-localize agricultural production strategies and approaches in PICs.

The Importance of Animal and Marine Fat in the Faroese Cuisine: The Past, Present, and Future of Local Food Knowledge in an Island Society

Since ecological and climatic conditions limit the possibilities for cereal production, the old-established Faroese traditional food system is principally based on the utilization of animal protein and fat. The diet of the islanders has thus been adapted to the specific environmental circumstances of the area. Historically, fat has provided a high energy and nutritious food source for the hard-working sheep farmers and fishermen. Fat procured from both land and marine animals has formed a vital part of the local food culture. Apart from the insubstantial amount of butter produced in the Faroe Islands, tallow from sheep, fish fat and liver from codfishes, and the blubber from the long-finned pilot whale, has been widely utilized within the households. During the last century, Faroese diet has changed due to external factors such as closer integration into the world economy, modernization, and improved household economy. Although butter, cheese and other dairy products as well as margarine and vegetable oil are nowadays readily available in the convenience shops and supermarkets, tallow, and whale blubber continue to be part and parcel of many of the islanders' cuisine. Today, however, such products are not primarily consumed for their energy content. Instead, it can be seen as a contemporary and regional expression of appraisal toward Faroese cuisine. Appreciating and consuming local food has become an important part of expressing Faroese cultural identity. The traditional diet therefore links the islanders with their history. However, the preparation of Faroese food products is highly dependent on traditional knowledge of how to extract different types of animal fat and process it into locally made dishes. Thus, the long-term survival of traditional Faroese gastronomy is contingent on the maintenance and continuation of this knowledge.