Joseph Mathieu, January 18, 2022
The Ărramăt Project: Reconnecting Indigenous Well-Being & Biodiversity
Although Indigenous Peoples make up only five per cent of the planet’s population, approximately 80 per cent of Earth’s biodiversity is located within their traditional territories. However, a decline in global biodiversity due to climate change, pollution and exploitation of land and its organisms has directly affected the well-being of Indigenous Peoples.
These intertwining factors will be addressed by a new project called, Ărramăt: Strengthening Health and Well-Being through Indigenous-Led Conservation and Sustainable Relationships with Biodiversity.
Of its recently announced $24-million budget from the federal government, more than half will go to place-based research initiatives led by Indigenous people from 24 different countries. The project has more than 150 Indigenous organizations, universities and other partners involved.
Frances Abele, the Chancellor’s Professor of Public Policy and Administration and supervisor of the graduate program in Indigenous Policy and Administration, is hopeful the team can build understanding across all of the regions by working from the insights and strengths of Indigenous Peoples.
“This project is magnificently ambitious and at the same time practical,” says Abele. “Most large projects have some international participation, but I have seen none that are so thoroughly international, in the sense of being grounded in each participating country.”