Governing Indigenous food systems: Global practices and local realities in Sri Lanka

This thesis focuses on advancing the understanding of Indigenous food system governance. Indigenous communities inhabit various geographical areas, each encountering distinct climate changes that affect their food systems. Specific governance strategies designed to address these unique climate changes are crucial for maintaining food security within Indigenous populations. Academic research has explored Indigenous food systems, food security issues among Indigenous populations, and factors affecting food security; yet, the current literature is insufficient to tackle food security challenges because the governance dimensions of Indigenous food systems have yet to be examined. Additionally, Indigenous research has mostly been limited to specific regions. Specifically, Sri Lankan Indigenous peoples, known as 'Vedda,' remain understudied. In this context, there is a scholarly gap in the existing literature, specifically the lack of research on Indigenous food system governance and limited research conducted in Sri Lanka. The study used two objectives in bridging the scholarly gap: 1) to synthesize the documented knowledge of Indigenous food system governance at a global-level and 2) to understand Indigenous food system governance at a local-level through a multi-sited case study in Sri Lanka. The study used a systematic literature review and a case study analysis of 'Vedda' communities to achieve these objectives. The systematic review included 143 peer-reviewed articles from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Primary data gathered through fieldwork by conducting 114 semi-structured interviews with six partnered 'Vedda' communities were used in the multi-sited case study assessment. The study found how Indigenous food system governance varied globally, by identifying eight key definitive characteristics of Indigenous food system governance: co-management, leadership, research partnerships, collaborations, social networks, mutualism, collective action, and religious/cultural dimensions. The study found how identified global-level characteristics were applied at the local-level through Sri Lankan Indigenous case studies. The research suggests adopting governance methods that combine global guidelines (e.g., the rights of Indigenous peoples to maintain and strengthen their cultures and traditions) with local traditions to promote fair and sustainable food systems for Indigenous communities. This necessitates cooperation between worldwide organizations and local Indigenous peoples to guarantee that policies are both culturally sensitive and ecologically sustainable. Enabling Indigenous leaders to play a fundamental part in the planning and decision-making processes ensures that governance approaches are specifically adapted to the distinct food security needs of every community.