"Climate Change Threatens Age-Old Indigenous Food Systems, Says UN"

"Traditional communities have some of the world's most sustainable food systems - but those are coming under increasing pressure"

"RIO DE JANEIRO - From the Arctic to the Amazon, the traditional food gathering techniques of indigenous communities are under threat from accelerating climate change and economic pressures, the United Nations said on Friday.

Food systems used by different indigenous peoples were found to be among the world's most sustainable in terms of efficiency, avoiding waste and adapting to the seasons, said an analysis by the U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO).

Because their diets rely mainly on renewable resources found close to home, indigenous communities adjust land use according to seasonality. Until recently, "waste" was an unknown concept in their food systems, the report said.

It cited as an example Finland's Inari Sami people, whose diet depends heavily on fish and reindeer meat."

Fabio Teixeira reports for Thomson Reuters Foundation June 25, 2021.

SEE ALSO:

"Incursions Into Indigenous Lands Not Only Threaten Tribal Food Systems, But the Planet’s Well-Being" (Inside Climate News)