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Research Questions/Objectives:
How can implementing drought resilient practises affect the successes of Indigenous-owned Bush Food enterprises?
Brief Description of the Project: This research aims to improve successful outcomes for Indigenous-owned Bush Food enterprises via implementing drought resilience strategies and introducing adaptations to deal with climate change.
Background and Significance of the Research Question to drought risk, vulnerability, preparedness, or resilience: The research question is significant in understanding the impact that environmental factors have on Bush Food enterprises. Incorporating Bush Food enterprises into the economy of Northern Australia has the potential to both promote Indigenous sovereignty as well as strengthen the region as it emerges as an area for increased growth in food and agriculture industries.
Implementing preventative measures such as drought resilience practises and climate change adaptations not only allows for opportunities to measure the effectiveness of these strategies but also supports these enterprises to allow a smooth transition for them into the wider Australian economy. The threat of future droughts and their impact on the agricultural economy of Northern Australia can be calculated through this present research.
Academic and research experience relevant to the honours project: Jacob Vallely has studied Indigenous sovereignty and independence issues, as well as effects of environment on Indigenous groups, intensely throughout the three years of his Bachelors of Arts course. Majoring in anthropology means a sound understanding of culture and its functions as well as the ability to deal with any cultural sensitivities that may arise. The opportunity to examine how drought affects Indigenous-owned bush food enterprises is incredibly helpful to his own career pathways.
A focus on foods as a part of culture has also been of immense interest throughout his degree. While taking an environmental approach, this research of Bush Foods is also aligned with Anthropological focuses.
Principal Supervisor’s skills and experience in relation to this project topic: Professor Rosita Henry is an anthropologist with over 25 years of ethnographic research experience in Northern Australia. She is a highly experienced supervisor of student honours and PhD projects. She has experience of research with Indigenous people in North Queensland, including Cape York, and a supervision and publication record on impacts and responses to Climate Change.
The Bush food industry has seen massive development and expansion in recent years, with the continued assimilation of bush food enterprises into the mainstream Australian food market seen in the expansion of individual businesses, restaurants, and even tourism ventures. As the industry continues its upwards trajectory, concerns surrounding the level of involvement and input Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals have in controlling the way their traditional foods are used and produced have surfaced, especially their ability to establish Bush Food enterprises independent of foreign influences and the protection of their rights to these culturally significant foods from exploitation. Currently, first nations people are significantly underrepresented in the bush food industry: the 2019 Indigenous Native Foods Symposium revealed that Indigenous Australians represent less than two percent of the entire Bush Food industry supply chain (Turner, 2021).
This research focuses on the challenges faced by first nations Australians aspiring to become involved within the industry and how well they are able to establish themselves in the face of structural inequality, insufficient support systems, and lack of robust processes to safeguard Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge. Understanding how these issues can be resolved to allow for further first nations representation in the industry and bolster further participation is vital in providing more successful outcomes for Indigenous owned enterprises and in creating better livelihoods for first nations Australians. The main aim of the work is to create a more accommodating space in the bush food industry for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and help form a system where their input and involvement guides the progression of the industry.
Encouraging further representation and involvement by first nations people is made difficult due to numerous challenges that obstruct entry into the industry. One of the main identified challenges that discourage Indigenous participation and involvement, present throughout the literature, is hesitancy to enter the industry due the fear of exploitation of traditional knowledge, culture and products (ABC, 2022, Lee, 2012, Elkin, 1951). This hesitancy is endemic and rooted in a long history of exploitation of traditional knowledge and severe mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This history has led many to prioritise and value the protection of their cultural and traditional integrity, customs and livelihood over participation and involvement in the bush food industry (ABC, 2022, Keen, 2010, Wessell, 2017).
This tenacity in safeguarding Indigenous knowledge and culture is reflected in a report published by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development WA: Protection of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge for bushfood businesses (2021), where the report highlights the tension between increased commercialization to meet demand for native foods and the preservation of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge (DPIRD, 2021). This tension and demand / supply dynamic is also expressed in a report done by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, “Assessing Horticultural Crop Suitability for the Queensland Murray Darling Basin Study Area”, where supply issues were found not to match market demand (David Carey, 2016). This is in turn due to other issues, such as inconsistency in organic materials and low levels of cooperation, communication, and information sharing within the industry (David Carey, 2016). On a more structural note, the report emphasizes the need to identify more traditionally appropriate ways to incorporate first nations interests in the native food industry.
This aligns with what was found in the literature. While there are support systems for first nations individuals in the bush food industry, they often fail to deliver significantly successful outcomes for bushfood businesses as they fail to recognise and understand the complex needs, motivations and aspirations of business-oriented Indigenous individuals (Lee, 2012, Lingard and Martin, 2016). Through the Indigenous Native Food Program QLD, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander entrepreneurs have the opportunity to further develop and commercialise their bush food products and create scalable Indigenous native food businesses. The grant features a wide range of support for applicants to discover new opportunities in the commercial expansion of new native food products, create new products from existing resources, and identify what resources may be limiting businesses from commercial production and providing these, such as equipment, raw materials, food safety infrastructure, and labelling (Business.gov.au, 2022). However, as discovered by Lee-Ross and Mitchell (2007) in their examination of entrepreneurship activities of the Torres Strait Islands, businesses and the motivations behind them are highly varied and more specific, tailored support systems are needed to address the specific motivations of Indigenous groups as not to homogenise the industry and the people in it (Lee-Ross and Mitchell, 2007). Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage should be a major priority for state governments. Support systems for Indigenous Australians need to become more diversified, localized, and imbued with cultural and traditional understandings of knowledge systems, social relations, and further appreciation of the customary sector of Indigenous bush food businesses.
Literature on this topic is consistent in the notion that first nations people are often homogenised, all perceived as sharing the exact same values, attitudes, beliefs, norms, and traditions (Lee, 2012, Lingard and Martin, 2016). The immense importance of connection to country means that motivation and aspiration to enter the bushfood industry are incredibly localized, with bush foods highly varied and subject to a myriad of customary laws and kinship systems. While support for bush food businesses acknowledge the extremely important connections between first nations individuals and their country, they then fail to reflect this within the support structures for first nations people and create a system where the support offered is not aligned with localized first nations interests or beliefs.
Further support is also needed in assuring the safeguarding of Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property and Indigenous Ecological Knowledge. As stated earlier, hesitancy to get involved in the industry stems from fear of further exploitation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge, culture, and products. Confirming this protection requires the involvement of a wide array of disciplines and professionals, spanning from Anthropologists to Legal Experts to Cultural Knowledge Brokers. The injustices of the past cannot be allowed to be repeated. The bush food industry is one of the most potentially significant outlets for first nations Australians looking to explore business development and entrepreneurial activities. The sector offers a wide range of opportunities and has the capacity to enhance community development, promote Indigenous culture and identity, and create awareness around the amazing range of edible foods available in the Australian environment. Altering the support available and ensuring the protection of Indigenous interests by involving more first nations people in decision making processes that directly affect them may help make the market more accessible and accommodating for first nations individuals, meaning that more first nations representation is seen within the industry.
References:
ABC. 2022. As the bush food industry expands in Australia, there are calls for more to be done to boost Aboriginal involvement [Online]. Available: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-08-19/bush-food-industry-barriers-to-aboriginal-involvement/101348812 [Accessed].
BUSINESS.GOV.AU. 2022. Indigenous Native Food Program QLD: Support for QLD scalable Indigenous native food businesses [Online]. business.gov.au: Australian Government. Available: https://business.gov.au/grants-and-programs/Indigenous-Native-Food-Program-QLD [Accessed].
DAVID CAREY, P. D. 2016. Assessing Horticulture Crop Suitability for the Queensland Murray Darling Basin Study Area report. Queensland Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
DPIRD, W. 2021. Protection of Indigenous Ecological Knowledge for bushfood businesses. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development: Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
ELKIN, A. P. 1951. Reaction and Interaction: A Food Gathering People and European Settlement in Australia. American Anthropologist, 53, 164-186.
KEEN, I. 2010. Indigenous Participation in Australian Economies : Historical and Anthropological Perspectives, Canberra, AUSTRALIA, ANU Press.
LEE-ROSS, D. & MITCHELL, B. 2007. DOING BUSINESS IN THE TORRES STRAITS: A STUDY OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CULTURE AND THE NATURE OF INDIGENOUS ENTREPRENEURS. Journal of Developmental Entrepreneurship, 12, 199-216.
LEE, L. S. 2012. Horticultural development of bush food plants and rights of Indigenous people as traditional custodians – the Australian Bush Tomato (Solanum centrale) example: a review. The Rangeland Journal, 34, 359-373.
LINGARD, K. & MARTIN, P. 2016. Strategies to Support the Interests of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in the Commercial Development of Gourmet Bush Food Products. International Journal of Cultural Property, 23, 33-70.
TURNER, A. 2021. Native bush foods: who really profits? [Online]. Eativity. Available: https://eativitynews.com/native-bush-foods-who-really-profits/ [Accessed].
WESSELL, A. 2017. “We Will Show the Country” : Bringing History to Life. M/C Journal, 20.
Introduction
The bush food industry has enjoyed massive development and growth in recent years but in doing so has raised concerns surrounding the level of involvement and input First Nations peoples have in regulating and controlling the use and export of these traditionally and culturally significant foods. Using a qualitative research approach, this research identified both the challenges First Nations peoples face establishing themselves in the bush food industry as well as the opportunities and support available to facilitate Indigenous participation. In conducting this research, my writing and analytical skills developed to a greater standard as well as my level of education, learning in-depth about a subject I may not have otherwise come across. Collecting and synthesising data, drawing links between sources in the literature and forming connections with the participant interviews done are all valuable research experiences. I would like to acknowledge the Tropical North Queensland Drought Hub in sharing and distributing my research to a wider audience as well as providing financial assistance.
Drought resilience within the industry
This research demonstrated that recognising First Nations perspectives and attitudes brings with it the potential for greater Indigenous community development and more successful outcomes for Indigenous owned enterprises. Part of this is ensuring the care of the traditional landscape and employing techniques that protect wild resources from drought, of which most bush foods are highly susceptible (Laurie, 2020, Martin, 2014). Drought and lack of water for irrigation affects the livelihoods of those who depend on wild resources (bush foods) to grow their business and provide monetary income, having severe impacts in the commercial production of bush food products. The threat of drought, lack of rainfall, and failure of irrigation systems remains an ongoing risk for growers, especially since the Australian climate is one of the world’s most inconsistent, with desert regions comprising 70% of the country’s landmass (Cunningham et al., 2009). As one interview participant explains, several years ago drought in the central desert resulted in Akudjura (bush tomato) crops becoming destroyed and not growing to full maturity in time for harvest. This resulted in insufficient and late supply of the product to other businesses, with a lack of communication and cooperation between growers in the industry making this situation even more difficult; our interview participant was not at all informed that his supply of Akudjura had been affected. This is a massive problem in a business that uses bush foods to create revenue and maintain a strong reputation.
To amend the adverse effects of drought and to extend the seasonality and availability of bush food products, Martin (2014) explains that Aboriginal communities in the deserts of central Australia have begun implementing innovative irrigation systems to improve supply of bush tomatoes. They fruit only for 2 months naturally, but with these techniques they can extend the fruiting season up to 8 months, offering improved supply of bush tomatoes to the commercial and culinary industries (Martin, 2014, p. 23). This has great potential in improving the supply and demand issues currently faced in the bush food industry as well as build drought and business resilience in these areas. Bush tomatoes by themselves can be stored for several years in its traditional, dried form (Martin, 2014, p. 24), with ground bush tomato having a considerable shelf life.
Overview of practical findings
Here we present our findings, based on what was uncovered in the literature and the contributions made by interview participants. They address further representation of First Nations people in the bush food industry, the opportunities and support currently available, and how they can be used practically to contribute towards Indigenous economic development and more effectively support business-oriented individuals.
Improving recognition of First Nations connections to bush foods and their country through further education and social awareness is needed to further develop and sustainably grow the industry. This allows the industry to target one its major issues: marketing, promotability and perception issues. By incorporating customary activities of First Nations people as suggested by Jon Altman in 2004 and introducing his 3-pronged hybrid economy framework, customary activities can be allowed to contribute towards economic development and involvement in the industry, as well as support further social awareness, a major step forward in improving successful business outcomes.
While research, assistance and support is there to grow Indigenous business, there is a lack of meaningful and effective support rather than a direct lack of support itself. Support systems such as mentorship, access to financial support, regional assistance, and training programmes all help improve the success of bush food enterprises, however, as discovered in the research, some communities need specific types of support to meet variable needs. Some harvester groups actually benefit far more from research and investments aimed at developing intergenerational knowledge and skills transfer than investments into commercial horticultural development (Cunningham et al., 2009; Walsh & Douglas, 2011). More importantly, while support for bush food businesses acknowledges the extremely important connections between First Nations peoples and their country, they then fail to reflect this within the support structures available and create a system where the support offered is not aligned with localized interests or beliefs. By considering that special considerations may be justified in resolving economic issues relevant to the bush food industry and recognising that tailored support systems may be needed to address the localized motivations of Indigenous entrepreneurs, this support will have far more effective outcomes for Indigenous-owned enterprises, allowing them to benefit from the opportunities present.
While serious barriers prevent further Indigenous involvement in the bush food industry, some Indigenous entrepreneurs have experienced major success, such as the author and documentary maker Samantha Martin (The bush tukka woman) and Sharon Winsor, founder and director of Indigiearth natural earth products. Addressing and overcoming challenges in the industry will require collaborative efforts from government, industry, Indigenous communities and academic research to ensure that Indigenous Australians can participate equitably in the Bush food industry. Promoting increased economic participation has repeatedly been suggested as a means of reducing the disadvantages experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia (Cleary, 2012; Cunningham et al., 2009; Tartaglia, 2022). Incorporating Bush Food enterprises into the economy of Northern Australia in ways that recognise original custodians of the land and provide Indigenous Australians the opportunities to set up businesses centred around bush foods offers incredible opportunities for indigenous Australians to strengthen Indigenous communities, achieve self-determination, employment, and income, although various challenges do still limit their ability to fully realise the benefits.
Conclusion
The bush food industry is one of the most potentially significant outlets for First Nations Australians looking to explore business development and entrepreneurial activities, offering a wide range of opportunities with the capacity to enhance community development, promote Indigenous culture and identity, and create awareness around the amazing range of edible foods available in the Australian environment. Integrating bush food ventures into the wider economy in ways that are culturally acceptable and beneficial to the traditional inhabitants of Australia is a difficult task. Localized motivations, cultural complexities, and protection of Indigenous knowledge structures need to be considered alongside financial support, skills development, business literacy, and legal hurdles. Amending support structures to better provide for Indigenous Australians, increasing education and social awareness of bush foods, and implementing drought resilience strategies is a vital step forward in improving Indigenous economic development and improving business outcomes in the bush food industry.
Taking notice and listening to the concerns of business-oriented Indigenous individuals, especially as part of a group that experiences far greater constraints in developing financially stable and socially equitable businesses than anywhere else in the world (Cunningham et al., 2009), is incredibly important in securing a felicitous space for Indigenous participation in the bush food industry. The future of the industry, while presenting numerous challenges, is still hopeful. Done right, the bush food industry will continue to provide Indigenous Australians opportunities to participate equitably in the Australian economy.
This research wishes to highlight that First Nations peoples are a plethora of different distinct groups subject to different customary laws, traditions, cultural responsibilities, needs and relationships with their country, including the native plants and animals that inhabit this land and that have sustained communities across Australia for tens of thousands of years. This research acknowledges the long residency of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia and celebrates them as the oldest continuing cultural landscape on earth.
References:
Cleary, J. (2012). ‘It Would Be Good to Know Where Our Food Goes’: Information Equals Power? Indigenous Peoples’ Innovation: Intellectual Property Pathways to Development. ANU Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt24hfgx.9
Cunningham, A. B., Garnett, S. T., & Gorman, J. (2009). Policy lessons from practice: Australian bush products for commercial markets. GeoJournal, 74(5), 429-440. https://elibrary.jcu.edu.au/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/policy-lessons-practice-australian-bush-products/docview/223665249/se-2?accountid=16285
Laurie, S. (2020). Australian native foods and botanicals 2019/20 market study. https://anfab.org.au/edit/research_projects/ANFAB_2020_Market%20Study.pdf
Martin, S. (2014). Bush Tukka Guide (1 ed.). Hardie Grant.
Tartaglia, J. (2022). Developing culturally appropriate food literacy resources for Aboriginal children with Foodbank WA’s Superhero Foods®. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 33(S1), 150-162. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/hpja.584
