Kamloops, British Columbia (BC) is a rural city situated on Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc within Secwepemcúĺecw, the traditional and unceded territory of the Secwépemc peoples. For thousands of years, the Secwépemc peoples have studied and managed the fragile ecosystems within the region sustaining themselves on local and wild foods. Regional Indigenous knowledge was passed from one generation to the next until the exchange was interrupted by the arrival of colonial-settlers. Consequently, many individuals are now disconnected from the land and lack necessary food literacy and skills. This study examines how historical and contemporary
inequalities reinforce food insecurity in the local Kamloops food system. Significant barriers to
food security in the region, such as neoliberal economic systems and forms of institutionalized
racism, are identified through volunteer work, participant observation and 25 semi-structured
interviews with individuals involved in the local food community. A community-based
participatory research methodology was used to guide this research. This research also explores
existing opportunities to strengthen food security through grassroots activism in the community.
The results of this study inform local policy to improve food security and identify the
inequalities embedded in regional food systems.
