Arctic food security

About this book

"Food security in the Arctic is threatened on all fronts. Traditional food production and food economies have witnessed drastic change, brought about as a result of social, economic, and political influences. Nevertheless, subsistence production continues to be very important in the food economy and security of circumpolar communities, despite increased participation in the wage economy and a growing reliance on imported food products. The decreased consumption of country food and concomitant increase in imported and prepared food in the local diet has resulted in an increase in associated health risks. But neither are country foods without risk, as evidenced by studies on contamination of the food chain, and various impacts of climate and cultural change. This volume presents the results of a 5-year multi-disciplinary study by an international panel of experts on food security (or insecurity) in the Arctic and the various factors and mechanisms that have impacted and continue to affect its sustainability. Contributions examine the impacts of development and environmental change and the consequent introduction of new technologies, transportation and infrastructure, the infl uence of wage economies, the impacts of conservation and co-management systems, hunting and fi shing quotas, fur boycotts and anti-sealing lobbies, the disruption of traditional distribution networks, market forces, social policies, as well as legal and jurisdictional influences. Issues and their intensity vary between regions of the circumarctic, but many common themes emerge."--Www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca.