#traditionalknowledge — Public Fediverse posts

#Biocultural families: Study centers #Indigenous priorities in connections to #environment

by Seth Truscott, August 11, 2026

"Washington State University horticulturist #JeffreyWall partnered with members of the #Mikmaq #FirstNations people of #Canada to create a new, #IndigenousCentered model of the connections that link humans with plants, animals and the environment.

"Wall interviewed over a dozen traditional knowledge keepers in Unama'ki, the #CapeBreton Island homeland of the Eskasoni Mi'kmaq. He asked tribal elders and allies to describe #BioculturalConnectivity — the relationship between human cultures and local #ecosystems — as they see it. The findings were published in Environmental Science & Policy.

" 'I wanted to show the connective forces that the Mi'kmaq prioritize,' Wall said. 'The goal was to be in tune with their deep #CulturalHeritage, traditions and the #indigenization of the future that they want to promote.'

"With more than 66,000 registered members, the Mi'kmaq are a resilient people native to the U.S. Northeast and Canada's Atlantic provinces who are revitalizing their language and growing their landholdings. Wall's work can guide future mapping and inform the institute's land acquisition strategy.

"The project reflects the concept of #TwoEyedSeeing — understanding the world from both #Indigenous and #Western approaches — introduced by Mi'kmaq elders Albert and Murdena Marshall.

" 'There is a growing understanding that environmental conditions can improve if we bring more Indigenous ways of knowing and being into the conversation,' said Lisa Young, executive director of the Unama'ki Institute of Natural Resources. 'Maintaining a #reciprocal relationship with the land is in itself a way to protect and preserve it.' "

Read more:
https://phys.org/news/2026-08-biocultural-families-centers-indigenous-priorities.html

#SolarPunkSunday #EnvironmentalAwareness #EnvironmentalStewardship #TraditionalKnowledge #Technology #TraditionalEcologicalKnowledge

#Agroecology as the path to #ClimateResilient and just food systems

By Dr Susan Chomba, Director Food, Land and Water at World Resources Institute Africa

Monday, July 28, 2025 — updated on August 02, 2025

"The 2nd National Agroecology Symposium, held in Nairobi from July 10–11, 2025, marked a pivotal moment in #Kenya’s food systems transformation.

"The event brought together farmers, researchers, civil society, private sector actors, media, and policymakers with one clear message: Agroecology must move from the margins to the centre of national agricultural strategy. It is not just an alternative; it is the most viable path forward to achieve our intertwined goals for #people, #nature, and #climate—without compromising one for the other.
Agroecology offers a coherent framework for #RegeneratingSoils, producing safe and nutritious food, and building #ClimateResilient and #equitable #FoodSystems.

"As #ClimateChange intensifies, this approach provides Kenya and other #AfricanNations a powerful opportunity to lead a just transition—rooted in #LocalKnowledge, backed by #science, and responsive to the realities of #smallholder #farmers.

A crossroads for Kenya’s food systems

"Kenya’s food systems are at a crossroads. The dominant model—based on chemical-intensive agriculture and ultra-processed foods—is driving soil degradation, poor nutrition, increased prevalence of non-communicable diseases, and the pollution of our rivers and lakes. This model also contributes significantly to #biodiversity loss and #GreenhouseGasEmissions.

"Alternatively, a more resilient and #sustainable path is within reach—one that aligns human health with ecological integrity. But this transition cannot be left to smallholder farmers alone. It requires coordinated leadership from governments—particularly ministries of agriculture, health, environment, and finance—as well as development partners, scientists, and the private sector.

"Farmers should not be expected to feed a growing population and withstand escalating #ClimateShocks while being under-supported or misdirected by ineffective policies and subsidies. Without the right investments and incentives, we risk deepening the crisis.

What agroecology is—and isn’t

"Agroecology is too often misunderstood as a nostalgic return to low-productivity farming. In reality, it is a sophisticated, evidence-informed, and farmer-driven approach to transforming food systems in ways that are locally appropriate and ecologically sound. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution, but a dynamic practice that integrates scientific research with #TraditionalKnowledge.

"The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) outlines 10 elements of agroecology, while the High-Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) has identified 13 principles. These include #RecyclingNutrients, enhancing biodiversity, strengthening synergies, and co-creating knowledge."

Source [paywall]:
https://nation.africa/kenya/blogs-opinion/blogs/agroecology-as-the-path-to-climate-resilient-and-just-food-systems-5140556

Archived version:
https://archive.ph/QxY8u

#SolarPunkSunday #AgroEcology #FoodSecurity #Africa #ClimageChangeResiliency #SharingKnowledge

[Short film]: #Megadroughts and #IndigenousVoices

"The Southwestern United States is experiencing a megadrought, but this isn’t the first time people have survived one in the region. By highlighting ideas and practices from #Navajo tradition, this story by Native Outdoors of Colorado Plateau re-centers our relationship to water."

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4rNcEnPk9Q&list=PLtiOgIRVt407KkUa7gtlkGIuTD5YU6bqT&index=7

#IndigenousKnowledge
#NativeAmericanHeritageMonth #ClimateChange #Dineh #Diné #WaterIsLife #IndigenousHistory #ClimateChangeSolutions
#PublicTelevision #WGBH #FilmSeries #LegacyOfTheLand #ClimateChange #ChangingClimate #IndigenousFilmmakers #NOVA #ClimateChange #TraditionalKnowledge #TEK #SolarPunkSunday #TraditionalGardening #NativeAmericanGardening #IndigenousPeoplesDay