Northern Greenhouses: an Alternative Local Food Provisioning Strategy for Nunavik
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Northern Greenhouses: An Alternative Local Food Provisioning Strategy for Nunavik Thèse Ellen Avard Doctorat en sciences géographiques Philosophiae doctor (Ph.D.) Québec, Canada © Ellen Avard, 2015 Résumé Les serres nordiques: Une approche alternative à la sécurité alimentaire au Nunavik Les communautés inuites font face à des changements socioculturels et environnementaux rapides ainsi qu’à plusieurs défis concernant la sécurité alimentaire. Récemment, plusieurs projets innovateurs ont pris forme pour pallier aux coûts élevés et la qualité discutable des aliments frais dans le Nord. Cette recherche s’est déroulée au Nunavik (la région inuite de la province de Québec, Canada) et a été élaborée en utilisant une approche de recherche participative. L’objectif de ce travail était de documenter et de participer au développement d’un projet pilote de serre dans le village de Kuujjuaq dans le but de développer un modèle de sécurité alimentaire alternative pour le Nord. Plusieurs personnes ont, de prime abord, remis en question la viabilité à long terme d’un projet de serre dans une communauté inuite. Pourtant, les résultats de cette recherche démontrent qu’il y a de l’intérêt et du soutien de tous les secteurs pour ce type d’initiative. Les résultats démontrent également qu’une stratégie d’approvisionnement local basée sur la serriculture est techniquement faisable et socialement acceptable. La conclusion générale de cette recherche est que les serres nordiques ont le potentiel de devenir des éléments clés dans une nouvelle stratégie alimentaire nordique, une stratégie qui sera plus résiliente que celle que nous connaissons aujourd'hui, et qui va contribuer de manière durable à l’essor de la capacité communautaire et au développement socioéconomique des villages nordiques. iii Abstract Northern Greenhouses: An Alternative Approach to Food Security in Nunavik Inuit communities are currently facing rapid sociocultural and environmental change as well as numerous food security issues. However, these issues are being addressed in increasingly innovative ways; notably through the implementation of alternative agricultural projects that address the high cost and questionable quality of fresh food in the North. This research took place in Nunavik (the Inuit region of the province of Quebec, Canada) and was elaborated using a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach. The objective of this work was to participate in and document the development of a greenhouse pilot project in the village of Kuujjuaq and, through this process, develop a framework for an alternative type of northern food security initiative. While many initially questioned the long-term viability of a greenhouse project in an Inuit community, results of this research show that there is indeed interest in and concerted support from all sectors for this type of initiative. Results also show that a greenhouse-based local food strategy in Nunavik is technically feasible and can be developed in a manner that is culturally appropriate and socially acceptable. The overall conclusion drawn from this research is that northern greenhouses have the potential to become key elements in a new type of northern food strategy, a strategy that will be more resilient than the one that we know today and that will contribute in a sustainable manner to the building up of the community capacity and socioeconomic stability of northern villages. v ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᒃᓴᐅᒥᔪᖅ ᑕᕐᕋᒥ ᐱᕈᕐᓰᕕᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᓪᓗᔪᐊᒦᑦᑐᓂᒃ: ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥ ᐊᓯᐊᒎᕐᑐᒥᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᒐᓱᓐᓂᖅ ᓂᕆᔭᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᓯᑦᓯᐊᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐱᓪᓗᒍ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖏᑦ ᐊᑑᑎᖕᒪᑕ ᓱᑲᑦᑐᔪᐊᒥᒃ ᐃᓄᖏᑕ ᐃᓕᕐᕈᓯᕐᑎᒍᑦ ᐊᕙᑎᖓᑎᒍᓪᓗ ᐊᓯᑦᔨᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᓚᖃᓪᓚᕆᑦᓱᓂ ᓂᕆᔭᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᓯᑦᓯᐊᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᐅᑉ ᐃᑉᐱᒋᔭᐅᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᖓᓂᒃ. ᑕᒪᓐᓇᐅᒐᓗᐊᕐᑎᓗᒍ, ᑕᒪᒃᑯᐊ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᑕᐅᓕᕐᕙᓕᐊᔪᑦ ᐃᓱᒪᓇᖃᑦᑕᓯᒪᖕᖏᑐᑎᒍᑦ; ᑕᑯᑦᓴᐅᓱᑎᓗᐊᖕᖑᐊᖅ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᒪᑕ ᐊᓯᐊᒎᕐᑐᑎᒍᑦ ᐱᕈᕐᓯᐊᓴᔭᓂᒃ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕐᓂᐅᔪᑦ ᐊᑭᑐᔪᐊᓘᓂᖓ ᓱᔪᒍᐊᕐᑑᓂᖏᓪᓗ ᓂᖀᑦ ᑎᑭᑉᐸᑐᑦ ᑕᕐᕋᒧᑦ ᐱᓪᓗᒋᑦ. ᑕᒪᑐᒥᖓ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᖅ ᐊᑐᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥ (ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓈ ᑯᐯᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑕᖓᓂ, ᑲᓇᑕᒥᒃ) ᑭᓪᓕᖏᐅᑎᔭᐅᑦᓱᓂ ᓄᓇᓕᖕᓂ ᑐᖕᖓᕕᖃᓪᓚᕆᑦᑑᔪᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᑐᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᐅᓪᓚᕆᑦᑎᓗᒋᑦ. ᑕᒪᑐᒪ ᑐᕌᕐᑕᕆᔭᖓ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕐᑕᐅᔫᑉ ᐃᓚᐅᕕᒋᓗᒍ ᐊᓪᓚᕙᓪᓕᐊᒍᑎᒋᓯᓐᓈᑦ ᐃᓪᓗᔪᐊᒦᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᕈᕐᓰᕕᑦᓴᓕᐅᕐᓂᖅ ᑰᑦᔪᐊᒥ ᒪᓪᓗ, ᐱᓕᕆᔭᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓕᕐᑎᓗᒍ, ᓄᐃᑦᓯᒍᑕᐅᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᐊᕐᒪᑦ ᐋᕐᕿᓯᒪᒍᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᓂᐊᕐᑐᒥᒃ ᐊᓯᐊᒍᑦᑕᐅᖅ ᑕᕐᕋᒥ ᓂᕆᔭᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᓯᑦᓯᐊᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᐅᔪᖅ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᔭᒋᐊᕈᑎᒋᓗᒍ. ᐊᒥᓱᑦ ᖁᓚᑦᔪᑎᖃᓚᐅᕐᑑᒐᓗᐊᑦ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᐅᒐᕐᑐᒥᒃ ᓄᐃᑕᒍᓐᓇᓂᐊᕐᒪᖔᑦ ᐃᓪᓗᔪᐊᒦᑦᑐᓂᒃ ᐱᕈᕐᓰᕕᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐃᓄᐃᑦ ᓄᓇᓕᖓᓐᓃᓗᓂ, ᑐᑭᓯᒐᑦᓴᕈᓯᒪᔪᑦ ᑕᒃᕘᓇ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᑎᒍᑦ ᓄᐃᑦᓯᓯᐊᕐᑐᑦ ᐃᕐᖃᕆᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᑲᑐᑎᔭᒥᓪᓗ ᓴᐳᑦᔭᐅᓯᒪᓂᖃᑦᓯᐊᓱᓂ ᓇᑭᓕᒫᖅ ᑕᒪᓐᓇ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᔭᒋᐊᕈᑕᐅᔪᒪᔪᖅ. ᑐᑭᓯᓇᕐᓯᖃᑕᐅᓚᐅᕐᑐᖅ ᒪᓐᓇ ᐃᓪᓗᔪᐊᒥ ᐱᕈᕐᓯᐊᕕᓂᕐᓂᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᑉ ᓂᕆᔭᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᓯᒍᑎᒋᓂᐊᕐᒥᔭᖓᓂ ᓄᓇᕕᒻᒥᑕᐅᖅ ᓱᕐᖁᐃᓯᒍᑎᑦᓴᑕᓕᒃ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᓚᖓᒻᒥᒋᐊᖓ, ᐱᕙᓪᓕᐊᑎᑕᐅᔪᓐᓇᓱᓂᓗ ᐱᓇᓱᐊᕈᑎᒋᓗᓂᐅᒃ ᐃᓕᕐᕈᓯᐅᑉ ᓇᓛᒎᕐᑐᒥᒃ ᐃᓄᖕᓄᓗ ᐱᔪᒪᔭᐅᑦᓯᐊᓗᓂ. ᐃᓗᓐᓇᒥ ᐃᓱᓕᒋᐊᕈᑎᒋᓗᒍ ᑐᑭᓯᓇᕐᓯᓯᒪᔪᖅ ᑕᒃᕙᖓᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᓴᕐᓂᒥᒃ ᒪᓐᓇ ᒪᑯᐊ ᑕᕐᕋᒥ ᐃᓪᓗᔪᐊᒦᓪᓗᑎᒃ ᐱᕈᕐᓰᕕᑦᓭᑦ ᐊᑐᕐᓂᕆᒋᐊᓕᖕᒥᓅᑦᓴᑐᐃᓐᓇᕆᐊᖃᑦᓯᐊᑐᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᔭᐅᓪᓚᕆᓯᓗᑎᒃ ᑕᕐᕋᒥ ᓂᕆᔭᑦᓴᖃᕐᑎᓯᑦᓯᐊᒋᐊᖃᕐᓂᖅ ᐸᕐᓇᕈᑕᐅᓯᒪᓂᐊᕐᒥᐸᑦ; ᐸᕐᓇᑕᓂ ᐊᑦᑕᓀᓐᓂᓴᓕᐊᕆᓗᒍ ᑖᑦᓱᒪᖕᖓᑦ ᖃᐅᔨᒪᓕᕐᑕᑎᓐᓂᒃ ᐅᓪᓗᒥᐅᔪᖅ, ᐃᑲᔪᕐᓯᕙᓪᓕᐊᓂᐊᕐᓱᓂᓗ ᑲᔪᓯᑎᐅᒐᕈᓐᓇᓂᐊᑐᒥᒃ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᑉ ᐱᔪᓐᓇᓕᕐᑕᖏᓐᓄᑦ ᐃᓚᒋᓕᐅᑎᓗᓂ ᐃᓄᖏᓐᓂᓗ ᑮᓇᐅᔭᒥᒃ ᐊᐅᓚᑦᓯᓂᖓᓂᒃ ᐊᑦᑕᓀᓕᐅᒥᑎᑦᓯᓗᓂ ᑕᕐᕋᒥ ᓄᓇᓕᐅᔪᓂ. vii Table of Contents Résumé .................................................................................................................................. iii Abstract ................................................................................................................................... v ᐃᓱᒪᒋᔭᒃᓴᐅᒥᔪᖅ ...................................................................................................................... vii List of Tables ........................................................................................................................ xv List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... xvii List of Abbreviations and Acronyms .................................................................................. xix Glossary (Definitions of Selected Keywords) ..................................................................... xxi Acknowledgments ............................................................................................................. xxix Preface ............................................................................................................................. xxxiii Chapter 1. Food in the North ................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Food Issues and the Northern Social Context .......................................................... 2 1.1.1 Food Security in the Canadian North ........................................................... 2 1.1.2 Introduction to Nunavik and to the Northern Village of Kuujjuaq .............. 5 1.2 Overview of Inuit Food Provisioning and Consumption Practices ........................ 10 1.2.1 Transformation of Inuit Food Practice during the 19th and 20th Centuries ..................................................................................................... 10 1.2.2 Main Issues Regarding Food Practice in Nunavik Today .......................... 19 1.2.2.1 Culture and Inuit Food Practice ...................................................... 19 1.2.2.2 Economics and Inuit Food Practice ................................................ 21 1.2.2.3 Health and Inuit Food Practice ....................................................... 22 1.2.2.4 Natural Environment and Inuit Food Practice ................................ 24 1.2.2.5 Political and Territorial Governance and Inuit Food Practice ........ 25 Chapter 2. Agriculture in the North ..................................................................................... 31 2.1 Overview of Agriculture in the Circumpolar North ............................................... 31 2.2 Agricultural Initiatives in Nunavik ......................................................................... 39 2.3 Examples of Northern and Arctic Greenhouses ..................................................... 47 2.3.1 Community Greenhouses ........................................................................... 48 2.3.1.1 Iqaluit Community Greenhouse ...................................................... 48 2.3.1.2 Inuvik Community Greenhouse ...................................................... 51 ix 2.3.1.3 Little Salmon / Carmacks First Nation Community Greenhouse ... 53 2.3.1.4 Hay River Community Greenhouse ............................................... 54 2.3.2 Research and Educational Greenhouses ..................................................... 55 2.3.2.1 Keewatin Gardens, Rankin Inlet, Northwest Territories ................ 55 2.3.2.2 Polar Solar Greenhouse, Pond Inlet, Northwest Territories ........... 58 2.3.2.3 Yukon College Northern Greenhouse Research Project ................ 58 2.3.2.4 University of Alaska Fairbanks School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences Research Greenhouse .................................. 60 2.3.2.5 Arthur Clarke Mars Greenhouse, Devon Island, Nunavut ............. 62 2.3.2.6 Centre d’études nordiques (CEN) Whapmagoostui-Kuujjuarapik Research Greenhouse ...................................................................... 63 2.3.2.7 Antarctica ........................................................................................ 64 2.3.3 Commercial Greenhouse Operations .......................................................... 65 2.3.3.1 Commercial Greenhouses, South Ostrobothnia, Finland ............... 65 2.3.3.2 Commercial Tomato Production, Nybyn Sweden .......................... 65 2.3.3.3 Commercial Greenhouses, South Iceland ....................................... 66 2.3.3.4 Small-Scale Commercial Greenhouse, Narsaq, South Greenland .. 68 2.3.3.5 Chena Fresh Greenhouse, Chena Hot Springs Resort, Alaska ....... 71 2.3.3.6 St. Paul Greenhouse Project, Pribilof Island, Alaska ..................... 72 2.3.3.7 Meyers Farm, Bethel Alaska