Description: The Go Local! Campaign promotes the production and consumption of local island foods for the CHEEF benefits of Culture, Health, Environment, Economy and Food security through nutritional research and awareness raising in Pohnpei, Micronesia.
conservation (2449) banana (171) agroforestry (71) karat (44) micronesia (32) breadfruit (15) pohnpei (5) local food system (4) pandanus (3) giant swamp taro (1)
Food is a basic part of our culture. When we promote our island foods, we are also promoting the traditional Pohnpeian way of life and farming system. As the forces of globalization affect indigenous peoples' traditions and food availability, it is imperative that traditional knowledge on agroforestry and cultural beliefs surrounding food are preserved for future generations. Connection to the land and local ecosystems is one way to do this.
Consuming island foods provides protection against many nutritionally-related diseases including: diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers, vitamin A deficiency, and anemia.
Health problems emerged from the 1970s with the dietary shift to imported processed foods, resulting in the level of non-communicable diseases being identified as a health emergency in the region. Nutrient-rich staple food crops have been substituted by imported white rice. This present staple in the Micronesian diet has no beta-carotene (provitamin A) for protection against these preventable diseases. Many imported foods are highly processed with very poor nutritional value and contain high levels of sugar