This book is the final expression of an exchange of experiences and knowledge among members of the Asháninka, Aymara, Kayambi, Cree, Inuit, Náhuatl, Maya Q’eqchi’, Métis, Misak, and Wolastoqey peoples and nations, spanning the American continent from northern Canada to the Amazon. They gathered for the first time in May 2024 in the cloud forests of Yunguilla, Ecuador, at the meeting titled “Transformation of Food Systems: Perspectives from Peoples and Nations of the Americas.” It began as a conversation about the transformation of Indigenous food systems in the region, which continued to be enriched over time through individual or group interviews, the exchange of ideas via social networks, conversations about traditional dishes with various community members, and other forms of collective reflection.

The book is structured as follows:

Chapter 1, Traditions and Food Sovereignty: Agricultural Practices of Resistance among Indigenous Peoples, addresses the concept of food sovereignty and how certain protective measures, such as Indigenous laws, have aided the preservation of Indigenous peoples’ lifeways. 

Chapter 2, Elements for Understanding the Transformation of Indigenous Food Systems, is a synthesis of a series of interviews conducted with the protagonists of this book. From the north to the south of the Americas, we discuss what the traditional foods and preparations are and what they consist of, the culinary objects and utensils used by each people, the causes they perceive as most significant in the transformation of their food systems, how these transformations connect with current Indigenous diets, the impacts of climate change, and the strategies they are implementing to ensure the sustainability of Indigenous foodways. Finally, we address why they consider it important to continue discussing Indigenous food systems.

Chapter 3, Sowing, Diversifying, and Reflecting Collectively to Adapt to Climate Change, presents the discourse of Alejandro Marreros, a representative of the Nahuatl people, who addresses a community regarding the impoverishment and loss of ancestral knowledge and customs in many communities of Puebla, Mexico. 

Chapter 4 is an interview with Ken Paul, a Wolastoqey representative: “If we do not maintain our natural food systems, we will not have a habitat in which to live”. Drawing on various experiences, Ken Paul delves into the cultural and nutritional significance of traditional foods for his community, such as potatoes, moose meat, fiddlehead ferns, salmon, and lobster. 

Chapter 5, Agenda for the Transformation of Food Systems: Perspectives and Actions of Indigenous Peoples and Nations of the Americas, synthesizes the dialogues and reflections of the Indigenous peoples and nations of the Americas who participated in the Yunguilla, Ecuador, meeting in 2024, developing a joint agenda on Indigenous food systems. 

Chapter 6 includes a set of Recipes of culinary dishes representative of Indigenous peoples. These traditional Indigenous dishes constitute a brief repertoire selected by various peoples who participated in the creation of the book and showcase the richness and flavors of Indigenous cuisine.