Food Security & Sovereignty
In Kotzebue, where the land and sea have provided for the Iñupiat for thousands of
years, the UAF Chukchi Campus is planting seeds for a sovereign future. Our Food Security
and Sovereignty (FSS) project complements the region's rich subsistence traditions
by developing creative ways to grow local food in the demanding Arctic climate.
We are turning challenges into opportunities. An outdoor garden demonstrates the resilience of crops like potatoes and cabbage. A native food garden becomes a living library of traditional tundra plants. Inside, a state-of-the-art hydroponic system, powered by alternative energy, provides fresh salad greens and tomatoes year-round, securing a vital food source through the long winters.
This project thrives on community partnership. Youth, elders, and local organizations come together for hands-on workshops, learning everything from personal gardening techniques to food preservation. By working side by side in the campus gardens, we are strengthening the powerful connection between subsistence living and agriculture, ensuring a healthy and secure food future for the region.
To learn more or join us, please contact: Minnie Naylor, Chukchi Campus Director & Interim Northwest Campus Director, 907-442-3400.
Top photo: Chukchi Campus staff introduced the importance of thinning your garden to free up root space.
Bottom photo: Hydroponic growing system using sustainable energy in Kotzebue, ÐÓ°Épro.
This work is supported by the ÐÓ°Épro Native-Serving and Native Hawaiian-Serving Institutions Education Competitive Grants Program, [project award no. 2024-38470-43416], from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and should not be construed to represent any official USDA or U.S. Government determination or policy.