A persistent problem confronting Inuit communities is food security. Store-bought food is expensive, and many Inuit children show up for school hungry. Lack of access to country food has implications for Inuit culture, traditions and social relations. Niqihaqut won $451,000 to develop a new model of social economy and food sovereignty anchored in the protection of Aviqtuuq (the Boothia Peninsula). The project will address food security through sustainable and innovative harvesting, and the processing and use of country foods, all guided by Inuit values. It hopes to provide local incomes, contribute to healthier diets, and help preserve local knowledge.
