A project to co-design a food sovereignty model with Indigenous communities by a multidisciplinary team of researchers from QUT and University of Southern Queensland and Diabetes Australia has received a $829,628 ARC Discovery Indigenous grant.
(From left: QUT researchers - Associate Professor Kate Murray, Professor Danielle Gallegos, Associate Professor Debbie Duthie and Dr Lee Wharton.)
Wakka Wakka Warumungu woman Associate Professor Debbie Duthie, from QUT School of Public Health and Social Work, said food sovereignty was considered an essential element of health of First Nations people.
"Food sovereignty is a core human right that privileges Indigenous knowledges and methodologies to co-design local strategies for addressing food insecurity," Professor Duthie said.
"We aim to develop place-based food sovereignty models with both rural and urban Indigenous communities to build sustainable food systems.
"This project's outcomes will ultimately lead to tailored strategies to foster food sovereignty and develop resources to preserve language and cultural foodways that can be integrated into educational programs."
Professor Duthie said the research would draw from food sovereignty projects in other Indigenous communities around the world to improve food access.
"We have seen a range of successful strategies including social supermarkets, farmers' markets, community gardens, food sharing, native/wild food programs, home gardening, local food production combined with job training, and development of land trusts to reclaim land."
QUT Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous Australians) Angela Barney-Leitch said a food sovereignty model co-designed with Indigenous Australian communities was a promising approach to improving health outcomes.
"This project aligns with QUT's commitment to undertaking research that that is transformative and beneficial for Indigenous Australian communities," Ms Barney-Leitch said.
QUT ARC Laureate Fellow and Vice-President (Research) said: "This outstanding funding outcome is testament to and underpinned by QUT's indigenous Australian research strategy, which empowers our Indigenous leaders to leverage their research strength in a vibrant intellectual environment".
The research team comprises Indigenous and non-Indigenous researchers from five disciplines: Associate Professor Duthie – social work; Dr Donald Wharton - exercise science; Associate Professor Kate Murray - psychology; Associate Professor Leah East from the University of Southern Queensland – nursing, primary health care; Professor Danielle Gallegos - nutrition; and Deanne Minniecon, partner investigator from Diabetes Australia.
