Indigenous Food Sovereignty and Dietetics: A Review of Available Training Tools and Learning Opportunities for Dietitians and Dietetic Learners
Student Researchers:
Tarahum Ruhama, Student Researcher, DPP, NOSM U, Sudbury, ON
Kathryn Rondina, Student Researcher, DPP, NOSM U, Sudbury, ON
Project Advisors:
Bridget King, Registered Dietitian, Public Health Sudbury & Districts
Kim McGibbon, Registered Dietitian, Thunder Bay District Health Unit
Jessica Love, Registered Dietitian, North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
Date: Jun 13, 2025
Northern Ontario School of Medicine (NOSM) University
Acknowledgement
As dietetic learners and future dietitians, we recognize that food is deeply tied to land, culture, health, and identity. As learners and future practitioners, we are committed to practicing dietetics in a way that respects Indigenous food sovereignty, traditional knowledge, and cultural foodways. We commit to ongoing learning and unlearning, and to holding ourselves accountable as we strive to provide culturally safe, equitable, and respectful care to all the communities we serve.
Introduction
Food sovereignty is explained by La Via Campesina as the right of people to define their food and agricultural systems, providing them with healthy and culturally inclusive food produced through ecologically appropriate and sustainable techniques [1]. Food sovereignty among Indigenous communities broadens this term to include relational duties among Indigenous Peoples, the land, and all living species [2]. The Indigenous Food System Network highlights four key principles to guide food sovereignty, which encompass honouring food as a sacred gift; practicing traditional harvesting; maintaining community involvement; controlling how food is grown and shared; and shaping laws and policies to reflect Indigenous values and self-determination [3].
Indigenous food sovereignty (IFS) is of particular importance due to historical and ongoing colonization and systemic racism that Indigenous people face, which impacts their food systems [4]. IFS describes strategies that respect self-determination and support Indigenous communities in maintaining traditional practices with an overarching goal of creating a fair food system and upholding autonomy [4].
The objectives of this project were to:
- Identify and critically appraise training tools and learning opportunities available to dietetic learners and dietitians that could enhance their knowledge of IFS.
- Develop a final summary of the research project and recommendations outlining effective training tools and learning opportunities for dietetic practice.
Methodology
A literature review was conducted using database searches, guided by specific inclusion criteria to identify resources relevant to dietitians, learners, and other healthcare professionals on IFS.
Each included tool was appraised for quality twice, once by a student researcher and then by a project advisor using the most appropriate critical appraisal tool. For qualitative studies, the JBI Critical Appraisal Tool was used, and for grey literature, the Authority, Accuracy, Coverage, Objectivity, Date, and Significance (AACODS) Checklist was utilized. Additionally, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander quality appraisal tool was used for resources that didn’t fit the other tools
After appraising the training tools and learning opportunities, each went through an additional three questions that considered Indigenous participation, learning opportunities, and potential benefits to Indigenous communities (Appendix A). The questions were developed by the research team based on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Quality appraisal tool in an attempt to evaluate each resource through a culturally relevant lens. After assessing, the Nourishing Health Education Coalition was consulted with the recommendations before moving forward.
Results
The student researchers compiled a total of 41 training tools and learning opportunities, which were then later narrowed down to a total of 10 based on the inclusion criteria and relevance to dietetic practice. After critically appraising the training tools and learning opportunities, the research team determined that eight out of the 10 resources would be considered “strong” quality and two would be considered “moderate” quality based on critical appraisal results. The additional Indigenous specific questions gave the research team further insight into the quality of the training tools and opportunities, but no specific classification.
Recommendations
Recommendations were established based on the results from the critical appraisal tools, the additional three questions, and considerations around relevance to dietetic practice, time and cost. Each resource offers unique value, and the recommendations serve as a guide based on dietetic professional needs and capacity, not to suggest one is better than the other. The content does not necessarily reflect the opinions of all perspectives within the dietetic profession or Indigenous Peoples.
Content warning: The content being shared discusses how colonization and racism impact Indigenous Peoples. These topics may be upsetting or emotional for some people.
Top Recommendation
The top recommendation includes a resource that provides extensive learning material related to Indigenous food sovereignty (IFS) for individuals. Please note that this resource may take 15-30 hours to complete.
Food is Our Medicine, Nourish Leadership
An online course designed to introduce health care professionals to new and different ways of understanding the relationships between Indigenous foodways, reconciliation, healing and health care.
Top 4 Time-Friendly Recommendations
These recommendations provide individuals with a variety of different types of resources that can support various learning styles. Recommendations also take a significantly reduced amount of time to complete (under two hours/resource).
Indigenous Food Sovereignty in Ontario: A Study of Exclusion at the Ministry of Agriculture, Food & Rural Affairs, Yellowhead Institute, by Tabitha Robin, Sarah Rotz & Adrianne Xavier
This report highlights the continued challenges faced by Indigenous communities in Ontario in their pursuit of food sovereignty, as well as the colonial attitudes and practices within government ministries.
Discussion Paper on Indigenous Food Sovereignty , Commissioned by the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and Food on behalf of the B.C. Indigenous Advisory Council on Agriculture and Food (IACAF) and prepared by Tea Creek Enterprises.
This paper explores IFS in B.C., highlighting current efforts, success stories, and what has been working well. It also provides ideas on how different groups can work together to grow IFS across the province.
Indigenous Traditional Food Systems & Indigenous Food Sovereignty eModules, Alberta Recreation & Parks Association
These online modules offer an introduction to IFS and traditional food systems in Alberta, highlighting the importance of these practices through the voices of Elders and Indigenous communities.
The Power of Indigenous Food Sovereignty Series: Dietitian perspectives and stories about the Impacts of Colonization on Indigenous Health and Food System, University of British Columbia – UBC Learning Circle – Centre for Excellence in Indigenous Health
In this webinar, dietitians share their experience with Indigenous food systems and the impacts of colonization. The session highlights the importance of understanding colonial history, recognizing Indigenous resilience, and the role dietitians play in reconciliation.
Additional Recommendations
These additional recommendations provide learners and dietitians with further training tools and learning opportunities that may be of interest, including a variety of resource types.
Integrating Indigenous Perspectives and Communities into Dietetics, University of Manitoba, National Indigenous Diabetes Association
This paper highlights how First Nation communities are lacking dietetic services, despite the evident need for dietitians in these communities. A key goal of this paper is to integrate teachings and raise awareness about the importance of Indigenous culture in the new Dietetic Master’s program in Manitoba.
Nourishing Health Education Coalition Education Session with authors of Plundering the North, Nourishing Health Education Coalition
In this webinar, the speakers discuss the book, Plundering the North, and explore how valuable this resource is in understanding the history of settler colonialism, corporate welfare and food insecurity.
Confronting Colonialism in Canadian Dietetics Curricula (Cdn Journal of Dietetic Research and Practice), Sharon Stein, Tabitha Robin, Michael Wesley, Will Valley, Daniel J. Clegg, Cash Ahenakew, Tamara R. Cohen
This journal article pushes the field of dietetics in Canada to address its colonial roots and support IFS, food practices, and health care. It calls for curriculum changes to teach the history of colonial food systems and for students to challenge ongoing systemic harms.
A Conversation on Indigenous Food Sovereignty: A Webinar, COVID19 Indigenous
In this webinar, speakers discuss what IFS is and the work they have been involved in to make a difference in Indigenous communities. Additionally, the webinar discusses the impact of COVID-19 on these communities and their food systems.
Opportunities for Decolonization within Dietetic Education (pay to access), Dietitians of Canada
Speakers: Laura Dias & Sandra Juutilainen
This webinar presents insights from the Canadian Foundation for Dietetic Research-funded project Towards Decolonizing Dietetic Practice (2020-2022). It aims to support meaningful steps towards reconciliation, decolonization, and Indigenization within dietetic practice in Canada.
Relevance to Practice
In the field of dietetics, colonialism has had a role in shaping ways of teaching, research and practice. To provide a client-centred approach to Indigenous Peoples, nutrition professionals must be equipped with the knowledge and resources necessary to understand and effectively uphold the principles of IFS. By identifying and evaluating resources, this project has provided an opportunity for current and future dietitians to gain a better understanding of how to confidently incorporate the concepts of IFS into dietetic practice.
Limitations
Due to time constraints, it was not possible to appraise all 41 resources in depth, and there had to be a subjective decision about which were most relevant to dietetic practice. The selected 10 resources met the inclusion criteria and were seen as the most relevant to practice through the eyes of the research team. It is important to acknowledge the positionality of the team, which consisted of non-Indigenous women and therefore, the strength of the IFS resources could not be fully assessed.
Additionally, the research team used the most appropriate appraisal tool for the given resource, meaning appraisal tools were not consistent. Each tool had a different structure, different amount and type of questions, and only one included a criterion specific to Indigenous perspectives. As a result, there were discrepancies in how resources were assessed.
Even with the application of additional evaluative questions addressing relevance to practice, time, and cost, the absence of Indigenous input and the inconsistency in appraisal approaches may have contributed to bias in the final recommendations.
Conclusion
Through a structured review of available training tools and learning opportunities and the use of critical appraisal tools, the research team was able to identify what we consider high-quality, meaningful resources for dietitians, learners, and healthcare professionals on IFS. One of the key insights was the need for critical appraisal tools that respect and reflect Indigenous methodologies, which led us to adapt and expand our appraisal approach. Moving forward, we hope this work contributes to more culturally safe, relevant, and inclusive practices in nutrition and health care education.
References
1. La Via Campesina. What is food sovereignty? n.d. [cited 2024 Nov 21]. Available from: https://viacampesina.org/en/what-is-food-sovereignty/
2. Jernigan, V. B. B., Demientieff, L. X., & Maunakea, A. K. Food Sovereignty as a Path to Health Equity for Indigenous Communities: Introduction to the Focus Issue. Health Promotion Practice, 2023; 24(6), 1066–1069. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/15248399231190355
3. Indigenous Food Systems Network. Indigenous Food Sovereignty. n.d. [cited 2025 Feb 10]. Available from: https://indigenousfoodsystems.org/food-sovereignty
4. Morrison, D. Indigenous food sovereignty: a model for social learning. In: H.Wittman, A. Desmarais & N. Wiebe, editors. Food sovereignty in Canada. Halifax, NS: Fernwood Publishing: 2011. Pages 97-113. Available from: https://www.indigenousfoodsystems.org/sites/default/files/policy_reform/Morrison2011,%20A%20model%20for%20social%20learning.pdf
