5 essentials for an ethical and effective food sovereignty study
April 14, 2025
Food systems don’t just shape what we eat; they shape who we are, how we live, and how we thrive. Similarly, food sovereignty isn’t just about food – it’s about restoring cultural practices and systems that support people living and working in harmony with nature. It challenges years of systemic oppression, and gives local growers, farmers, and consumers a voice in determining how their food is produced and distributed – not just for now, but for years into the future.
Decades of federal policies and forced removal of Indigenous peoples from their homelands has caused massive disruptions to their food systems and lifeways. Before colonization, tribes had highly sophisticated and interconnected food systems that supported their physical health and spiritual well-being. Many of those systems have been replaced with low-quality government rations, devoid of cultural meaning and nutritional value.
To reclaim local food systems for Native people, the tribal food sovereignty movement is supporting Indigenous communities by connecting people with healthy and traditional foods. Throughout Indian Country, initiatives to increase food access, educate growers, improve soil health, restore buffalo, and change food policies are having transformative effects. Over the last decade, we’ve partnered with Native organizations like the Sicangu Food Sovereignty Initiative and Makoce Agriculture Development to study their food systems and use the findings to build food hubs, grocery stores, and mobile buffalo harvesting units.
Our food study framework
One of the first steps in improving local food systems is to better understand existing resources and opportunities. Through our years of place-based, community-led research, we’ve studied how food systems affect diets and health outcomes and the impact they have on community and economic well-being. In this work, we’ve developed tried-and-true ways to conduct purposeful and useful studies that connect communities to resources and potential partners. Here’s how we do it:
1. Center the community from the start
Effective food sovereignty studies are grounded in the knowledge and priorities of the community itself. Whether we’re working with an agriculture nonprofit in the Northern Plains or a buffalo restoration initiative in the Southwest, we begin with listening sessions, partner collaboration, and open communication. Surveys, interviews, and community meals all reveal stories and insights that don’t always show up in formal datasets. From two major studies alone, we collected over 800 survey responses from Native community members on local food access, traditional practices, and economic priorities. By working closely with producers, youth, elders, and organizational partners, we establish shared ownership right from the start.
2. Use tools that reflect Indigenous priorities
We always involve community members in shaping our questions and data collection methods, so that our research reflects their priorities – not our agenda. In some cases, that includes the Food-System Transition Index, a baseline measurement tool that includes indicators like climate resilience, cultural revitalization, and sustainable land use. In others, it may involve mapping local supply chains or analyzing the economic multiplier effect of buying locally. The goal is to make visible what communities already know – that their food systems are powerful drivers of health, cultural preservation, and economic sovereignty.
3. Look beyond the plate
Food sovereignty is never just about what’s on the table. Though food availability and affordability are critical, we explore everything from policy landscapes and energy access to infrastructure needs and producer support. In past projects, we identified opportunities that facilitated:
The launch of six food hubs and three mobile markets
Two local meat processing facilities
Producer cooperatives
Youth-focused agricultural programs
The integration of traditional ecological knowledge into planning efforts
In one Northern Plains community, we discovered over $1.2 million in potential local food purchasing power that could be redirected through cooperative models. By taking a 360-view of an entire food ecosystem, we identify strategies that weave together food, wellness, workforce, and sovereignty.
4. Respect the data and who it belongs to
Indigenous data sovereignty – the right of a community to control how their data is collected, stored, and used – is a core principle in our work. We partner with communities to select and adapt tools that reflect their local values, traditions, and protocols. We work closely with tribal leadership and partner organizations to develop culturally respectful research methods, and we provide tools and training so that the data collected can be used long after our formal role ends.
5. Deliver roadmaps, not just reports
Across all our food sovereignty studies, over 70% of our recommendations were directly tied to actions by our partners, including the launch of food sovereignty internships, business incubators, and commercial kitchens; applying for USDA Value-Added Producer Grants; and securing tribal council resolutions. How did we do it? By truly listening and collecting enough of the right data to paint an authentic picture of each community. We invest the time it takes to thoroughly understand a community’s challenges and aspirations, and we offer practical, relevant solutions. And we always involve leaders and decision-makers, so that when it’s time to turn insights into action, the whole organization is ready to respond.
Get ready for your study: Steps your organization can take before you begin
We’ve found that the most successful food sovereignty efforts begin with strong internal preparation. Here are a few things organizations can do to get ready:
Step 1: Build your internal team. Form a small but committed group to help guide the process – ideally with a mix of community members, staff, and cultural knowledge holders. Think early about who needs to be at the table to represent broad perspectives and deep connection.
Step 2: Clarify your goals. Are you hoping to open a local market? Invest in producers? Advocate for policy change? Knowing your “why” helps shape the right study design and ensures data collection leads to action.
Step 3: Take stock of what you already know. Review past assessments, surveys, or reports. Whether from within your organization or others working in your community, there’s no need to start from scratch if valuable insights already exist.
Step 4: Plan for implementation. A study is only one part of the journey. Consider what comes next – do you have partnerships, funding streams, or staff capacity to move findings into action? If not, now is the time to start building those pieces.
Step 5: Be ready to adapt. Food systems are complex and so are the communities they feed. The path may shift along the way, and that’s okay. The key is to stay rooted in your values and guided by your people.
A well-designed food sovereignty study should build relationships, honor Indigenous knowledge, and support communities as they reclaim what’s always been theirs. When done with care and collaboration, food studies can ignite real change that nourishes people, culture, and the land for generations to come.