Addressing Food Insecurity on the Navajo Reservation Through Sustainable Greenhouses

Abstract

Navajo (Diné) tribal members experience alarming rates of diabetes and food insecurity on the reservation. Increasing involvement with food production through gardening is a crucial step to rebuilding Diné food systems and improving the health of Navajos. The main challenges are drought, lack of available land, limited food production knowledge, and large up-front costs. However, implementing community-based gardens would help alleviate land space issues, leverage community knowledge, and shift financial responsibility to local community level or chapter level. Greenhouses are advantageous because they reduce water consumption and allow for year-round production, but require energy intensive heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Native Youth Participating in the Together on Diabetes 12-Month Home-Visiting Program Reported Improvements in Alternative Healthy Eating Index-2010 Diet Quality Domains Likely to Be Associated With Blood Pressure and Glycemic Control

“…The Navajo Nation has only 13 grocery stores across 27,000 square miles and the Fort Apache Reservation has only 1 grocery store across 2700 square miles. 22 Native youth (10-19 years of age) were referred to the study by a health care provider if they were diagnosed with T2DM, prediabetes, or were identified as "at risk" based on body mass index >85th percentile and a qualifying laboratory test of low-density lipoprotein ! 100 mg/dL (to convert to mmol/L, multiply by 0.026), triglycerides !…”