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Providing Solutions for

food sovereignty

Seed Saving & Sovereignty

“Seed freedom” - the freedom of indigenous peoples to grow and we want to encourage people to start taking practical steps to improve your own self-sufficiency before you really need it.

Seed is saved from harvest to harvest. After observing the pollination patterns and reproductive characteristics of the plant. Some remaining in the ground if possible as a back up storage, while rua are ideal. Maximum germination, seedling vigor, and longest storage life is achieved when fully ripened, current season, pest-free seed is harvested. Environmental conditions, lack of pollinators, and parasitism all can affect the quality of the seeds collected.

Feed ourserlves & free ourselves

hua parakore

We were very fortunate to be with Uncle Te Iwi Puihi (Percy) Tipene during the time that the Hua Parakore, indigenous food sovereignty initiative and hallmark of excellence for food and product production was developed.

It remains one of the only indigenous standards for food production which we highly recommend growers to consider signing up to.


 

cultural indicators of indigenous peoples' food and agro-ecological systems

Produced by the International Indian Treaty Council, (of which our founder, Tui Shortland, served as alternate board member), the Christensen Fund (who also were the first donors to support Tui's first trip to work at the UN CBD COP11 in India, 2002), the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and FAO.

We highly recommend anyone researching indigenous food sovereignty to consider this publication.  Indicators suggested in the document are as so: 

Access to, security for and integrity of traditional lands, territories, natural resources, sacred sites and ceremonial areas used for traditional food production, harvesting and/or gathering and related cultural and ceremonial purposes;

Abundance, scarcity and/or treats to traditional seeds, plant foods and medicines, and food animals as well as cultural practices associated with their protection and survival;

Use and transmission of methods, knowledge, language, ceremonies, dances, prayers, oral histories, stories and songs related to traditional foods and subsistence practices, and the continued use of traditional foods in the daily diet as well as in relevant cultural/ceremonial practices;

Capacity by Indigenous Peoples for adaptability, resilience and/or restoration of traditional food use and production in response to changing conditions including migration, displacement, urbanization and environmental changes;

Ability of indigenous Peoples to exercise and implement their rights including self determination and free, prior informed consent as well as their self-government structures, to promote and defend their food sovereignty and related aspects of their development.

 

We believe in supporting food sovereignty through supporting Maori to grow their ancestral foods, and to revive our culture around kai.

awatea multi-media library

We have a library of information on many native plants.  This information has been compiled to assist with reconnecting to Mother Earth. It includes categories on identifying native plants, their customary uses and tips on growing them.