Abstract A057: Diagnosis of food and food sovereignty in the Cucapah community

Abstract This diagnosis examines the current food conditions and the challenges to achieving food sovereignty in the Indigenous Cucapah community, located in the Colorado River Delta, Baja California. Through community interviews, participatory observation, and analysis of dietary habits, a nutritional transition was identified—marked by the partial abandonment of traditional practices such as fishing and the cultivation of local foods—due to environmental degradation, limited water access, and increasing reliance on processed products. The findings show a rise in diseases associated with malnutrition, such as obesity, diabetes, and nutritional deficiencies, linked to the loss of food self-sufficiency. Despite these challenges, culinary knowledge and agroecological practices persist, representing a key foundation for strengthening food sovereignty from a culturally relevant perspective. The study proposes comprehensive strategies that include the recovery of traditional knowledge, the strengthening of community gardens, and coordination with cross-border public policies to ensure access to healthy, culturally appropriate, and sustainably produced food. Citation Format: Linda Lara Jacobo, Daniela Gonzalez Valencia, Maria Josse Navarro Ibarra, Ofelia Cruz, Miguel Zavala Perez. Diagnosis of food and food sovereignty in the Cucapah community [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 18th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2025 Sep 18-21; Baltimore, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2025;34(9 Suppl):Abstract nr A057.