Indigenous Food Systems Resilience
Indigenous Food Systems Resilience
Connecting Cultural Values and Indigenous Research
The Indigenous Food Systems Resilience project is a partnership between the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Tribal Nations and organizations in Wisconsin that supports Tribal producers, land managers, and communities in their food sovereignty work in four key areas. The project areas include Indigenous crops and livestock, Manoomin (wild rice) research and restoration, nutrition and community food systems, and maple sugaring.
Our team of 39 people collaborates with 9 Tribal partners and organizations representing all 11 Federally recognized Tribes in Wisconsin, 14 UW and Extension units or departments, and supports 3-4 undergraduate and graduate students per year.
This project is funded by a four-year grant (2023–2026) from the Wisconsin Rural Partnerships Institute at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA).
Partnerships in Action
Indigenous Crops and Livestock
Supporting Tribal partners and producers to scale up Indigenous corn production effectively
Training and capacity building around cover crops, management plans, equipment, safety, and agronomy
Demonstrating traditional mounded companion planting at the UW Arboretum Indigenous Research Garden
Nutrition Education and Health
Developing & mapping career pathways in food sovereignty for Indigenous youth and young adults in Wisconsin
Working to align public health nutrition related programs with Tribal needs and food sovereignty efforts such as the Tribal Elder Food Box Program
Manoomin Restoration and Research
Developing research and outreach plan for manoomin (wild rice) restoration in St. Louis River Estuary
Addressing Tribal community concerns of ecotoxicology of restored manoomin in St. Louis River Estuary
Extending existing wild rice outreach and education programs with Green Bay West Shore education and restoration collaboration
Supporting wild rice camps for Tribal youth and students
Maple Sugaring and Production
Supporting Tribal maple syrup and sugar producers through trainings and events
Facilitating a Tribal Maple Sugaring Network to enable sharing learning and storytelling
In the News
In the face of climate change, Ho-Chunk Nation working toward food sovereignty
WUWM Milwaukee’s NPR
UW’s Rural Partnerships Institute announces new projects focused on rural Wisconsin
UW–Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) News
The USDA NIFA-funded Institute for Rural Partnerships housed at UW–Madison, Auburn University and the University of Vermont, collaborates with community-based initiatives and local research, educational institutions and subject matter experts.
