Assessing Healthy and Traditional Foods in Virginia Tribal Communities: Barriers and Facilitators from Lived Experiences

Indigenous communities experience disproportionate rates of food insecurity, nutrition-related chronic diseases, and barriers to accessing both healthy and traditional foods. While these disparities have been well documented nationally, limited research has explored the unique experiences of Virginia’s Indigenous communities and how Virginia Cooperative Extension can support those communities. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine the barriers and facilitators to accessing healthy and traditional foods through the lived experiences and stories of Indigenous community members in Virginia. Data collected through semi-structured interviews and a focus group discussion were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify common experiences, patterns, and emerging themes related to barriers and facilitators to access healthy and traditional foods. Participants identified barriers when accessing healthy and traditional foods, including rural food deserts, limited transportation, rising food costs, aging and physical limitations, historical loss of land, reduced opportunities for hunting, fishing, gardening, and food preservation, and the erosion of traditional ecological knowledge across generations. Participants also highlighted significant community strengths and facilitators to health and traditional food access, including strong family and community relationships, cultural revitalization efforts, community gardens, food forests, traditional food education, seed saving, food preservation, youth engagement, and collaborative partnerships with organizations such as Virginia Cooperative Extension. The findings demonstrate that Indigenous food sovereignty extends beyond food security to encompass cultural identity, self-determination, stewardship of ancestral knowledge, and community well-being. Based on the findings, recommendations are provided for culturally responsive nutrition education, community-engaged Cooperative Extension programming, and future partnerships that support Indigenous food sovereignty and improve access to healthy and traditional foods. By centering Indigenous voices and lived experiences, this research contributes to a growing body of knowledge that can inform public health practice, Extension programming, and policies that honor tribal priorities while promoting health equity.