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Cleveland,
David A., Fred Bowannie, Jr., Donald Eriacho, Andrew Laahty, and Eric
Perramond (1995) Zuni Farming and United States Government Policy: The
Politics of Cultural and Biological Diversity. Agriculture and Human
Values 12(3):2-18.
Article
as pdf file.
ABSTRACT
Indigenous Zuni farming, including cultural values, ecological and biological
diversity, and land distribution and tenure, appears to have been quite
productive and sustainable for at least 2000 years before United States
influence began in the later half of the 18th century. United States Government
Indian agriculture policy has been based on assimilation of Indians and
taking of their resources, and continues in more subtle ways today. At
Zuni this policy has resulted in the degradation and loss of natural resources
for farming, reduction in the number of Zuni farmers and their control
over farming resources, individualization of rights in farmland, consolidation
of farm fields, and declining biological diversity in agriculture. The
Zuni Sustainable Agriculture Project with the Zuni Irrigation Association
and the Zuni community, are now working to revitalize sustainable Zuni
farming, based on traditional values, knowledge, and technology, combined
with modern knowledge and technology where appropriate.
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