$2M grant to reconnect youth with traditional foods

By Scout Nelson

Bradley Barker, a Nebraska Extension specialist in 4-H and youth development, along with a team of co-investigators, has received a grant of nearly $2 million from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

This funding will support a project titled “Integrating Environmental Data Systems and Traditional Ecological Knowledge: A Framework for (Re)connecting Indigenous Youth to Traditional Foods and Modern Growing Practices.” The project, which started on Sept. 1, 2024, will span three years.

The goal of the project is to reconnect Indigenous youth, aged 10 to 18, and their communities with traditional foods and agricultural practices by combining Indigenous ecological knowledge with modern technologies.

The project will establish teaching farms at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and in Navajo communities in Red Mesa and Red Valley, Arizona. These farms will offer hands-on learning experiences that are shaped by the youth, guided by elders, and supported by experts from several universities.

“I am extremely excited to begin this project and look forward to co-creating with youth while learning how both Western and traditional agricultural practices can be honored,” said Barker.

The project team includes:

• Bradley Barker (Principal Investigator, University of Nebraska–Lincoln)
• Theodore Hibbeler (University of Nebraska–Lincoln)
• Christian Stephenson (University of Nebraska–Lincoln)
• Stacy Adams (University of Nebraska–Lincoln)
• Katie Edwards (University of Nebraska–Lincoln)
• Kristin Searle (Utah State University)
• Curtis Frazier (Utah State University)
• Reagan Wytsalucy (Utah State University)
• Emma Anderson (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
• Ilana Schoenfeld (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Together, they will empower Indigenous youth to strengthen their connection to traditional ways of interacting with the land while gaining modern skills in STEM fields.

Through these teaching farms, youth will learn not only how to grow food but also how to tackle global food sustainability challenges, all while staying rooted in their cultural traditions. The farms will be equipped with tools like seeds, soil, microscopes, sensors, and structures such as high tunnels to support their education.

By blending Indigenous knowledge with modern agricultural methods, this project aims to create sustainable food systems while preserving cultural heritage. Participants will be supported through honorariums as they deepen their connections to the land and their communities, fostering a balance between tradition and innovation.

Photo Credit: 4-h