Practicing Food Sovereignty: Indigenous Peoples and Agroecological Relationships in the Eastern Himalayas

This study concerns indigenous communities and agriecological practices in four countries of the Eastern Himalaya region; Nepal, Bhutan, Chittagong Hill Tracks of Bangladesh and the hills of Northeast India. The focus is on present practices relating “food sovereignty”. While food sovereignty is a dynamic concept, it usually imply the pursuit of both environmental and livelihood goals.

In a similar fashion, indigenous upland communities in the region are reviving and revaluing traditional agricultural practices to cope with climate change and contemporary environmental risks. The overall question addressed concerns indigenous livelihood practices and food security in upland areas.

We approach this through three interrelated themes: (a) plants; (b) crop losses; and (c) food.

Theoretically we bring food sovereignty studies in conversation with agrarian studies, political ecology and multispecies studies.

The project also draws on recent work within indigenous peoples’ studies that looks at indigenous sovereignty not only as a matter of political self-determination, but also as mode of living differently on the land. Here plants, agricultural practices and food figure prominently as a domain to build sovereignty from within.

Regional partners are: (a) North Eastern Social Research Centre (NESRC) in Guwahati Northeast India; (b) The Royal Thimphu College in Bhutan; (c) Social Sciences Baha in Kathmandu Nepal, and (d) The Asian University for Women in Chittagong, Bangladesh.