Recipient Organization
UAF CTC 53860006
604 BARNETTE ST
FAIRBANKS,AK 99701
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
The University of Alaska Fairbanks - Community and Technical College (CTC) Rural Nutrition project is expected to improve health for Alaska Native people by increasing the consumption of traditional Alaska Native wild gathered foods.The Objective for this project is to: Increase availability of relevant information and skills training in the FANH Sciences that support improved nutrition in order to achieve the Goal: Increase food security and health outcomes for Alaska Native and rural community students and residents. The Rural Nutrition project provides 8 classes/workshops per year (24 total) with at least 3 of the sessions recorded and uploaded to the internet. The university credit classes and non-credit workshops will provide instruction, skills training and hands-on learning experiences related to gathering and preserving food from traditional sources for personal consumption with an emphasis on wild foods including vegetation, fish and game. The majority of the classes/workshops will be held in rural Alaska communities and include an Alaska Native subject expert in addition to a university or Cooperative Extension instructor. It will enhance student learning by incorporating place-based education that looks at food as a whole related to the land and ecology and cultural traditions.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Goal: Increase food security and health outcomes for Alaska Native and rural community students and residents. Objective: Increase availability of relevant information and skills training in the FANH Sciences that support improved nutrition.
Project Methods
This grant supports a project led by CTC to offer one-credit classes and workshops on gathering and preserving wild foods, emphasizing nutrition, traditional food sources, and food-based health.A Rural Nutrition Coordinator will manage daily operations, including community outreach, class scheduling, and instructor recruitment. The project will hold seven classes in rural Alaska and one in Fairbanks annually, aiming for at least eight participants per session.CTC will recruit Alaska Native Elders and subject matter experts to teach topics like wild food identification, traditional uses, preservation methods, and nutritional content. Classes will include experiential activities and incorporate local knowledge.To extend reach, short videos from Fairbanks classes will be produced and shared online. The project will also utilize CTC's online Gwich'in Athabascan language course. The PI will oversee the budget, and external evaluators will assess the project's success annually.