The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, Canada

This paper positions community seed saving (CSS) as collective knowledge and practices used to cultivate, collect, conserve, exchange, and advocate for regionally adapted seeds as a foundation of healthy and sustainable food systems. Qualitative research involved twelve interviews with community see...

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Main Authors: Rachel L.W. Portinga, Charles Z. Levkoe, Lindsay P. Galway
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Wellbeing, Space and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666558124000459
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author Rachel L.W. Portinga
Charles Z. Levkoe
Lindsay P. Galway
author_facet Rachel L.W. Portinga
Charles Z. Levkoe
Lindsay P. Galway
author_sort Rachel L.W. Portinga
collection DOAJ
description This paper positions community seed saving (CSS) as collective knowledge and practices used to cultivate, collect, conserve, exchange, and advocate for regionally adapted seeds as a foundation of healthy and sustainable food systems. Qualitative research involved twelve interviews with community seed savers in Thunder Bay, Canada. We explored the relationships to participants’ health and wellbeing through themes of physical health, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and relationships and reciprocity. The findings illustrate that CSS can directly benefit individuals and influence social and ecological determinants of health. We argue that public health should consider CSS a health promotion intervention and an important future direction for research.
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spelling doaj-art-d967978fdfc044b8984e74e2eb723aaa2025-08-20T02:37:02ZengElsevierWellbeing, Space and Society2666-55812024-12-01710022710.1016/j.wss.2024.100227The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, CanadaRachel L.W. Portinga0Charles Z. Levkoe1Lindsay P. Galway2Corresponding author.; Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada P7B5E1Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada P7B5E1Department of Health Sciences, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada P7B5E1This paper positions community seed saving (CSS) as collective knowledge and practices used to cultivate, collect, conserve, exchange, and advocate for regionally adapted seeds as a foundation of healthy and sustainable food systems. Qualitative research involved twelve interviews with community seed savers in Thunder Bay, Canada. We explored the relationships to participants’ health and wellbeing through themes of physical health, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, and relationships and reciprocity. The findings illustrate that CSS can directly benefit individuals and influence social and ecological determinants of health. We argue that public health should consider CSS a health promotion intervention and an important future direction for research.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666558124000459Community seed savingPublic healthHealth promotionSocial determinants of healthEcological determinants of healthNorthwestern Ontario
spellingShingle Rachel L.W. Portinga
Charles Z. Levkoe
Lindsay P. Galway
The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, Canada
Wellbeing, Space and Society
Community seed saving
Public health
Health promotion
Social determinants of health
Ecological determinants of health
Northwestern Ontario
title The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, Canada
title_full The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, Canada
title_fullStr The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, Canada
title_full_unstemmed The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, Canada
title_short The contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing: A qualitative study in Thunder Bay, Canada
title_sort contributions of community seed saving to health and wellbeing a qualitative study in thunder bay canada
topic Community seed saving
Public health
Health promotion
Social determinants of health
Ecological determinants of health
Northwestern Ontario
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666558124000459
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