Jacob Birch is passionate about re-awakening native grains foodways which sustained Indigenous peoples across Australia for thousands of generations. Jacob is particularly passionate about the grain economies of the Gamilaraay people. The Gamilaraay are the people of grassy plains and meandering rivers of Australia’s Northern Murray-Darling Basin and maintain an intangible cultural connection to grassland and riverine foodways. Jacob is Gamilaraay through matrilineal descent; and honours his Irish-Australian paternal connection. The influence of these two cultures embedding a verve for diversity and nature, and a disposition for liberty and justice.
Jacob sees native grains improving food security and food sovereignty; improving biodiversity and culinary diversity; reinvigorating culture and community health; generating income sources for rural and remote communities; building strong First Nations trade, research & development networks, domestically and internationally; and healing Country. Jacob believes these outcomes, that are for the benefit of all people, can only be achieved if the traditional custodians of native grains have the capabilities and authority to determine the native grains industry objectives and outcomes.
Jacob began his journey into this space at Southern Cross University where he received First Class Honours for a multidisciplinary research project looking at nutritional qualities of Australian native grains for human consumption, and Indigenist research methodologies which give agency to First Nations voices and experience. Jacob has since joined the University of Queensland where he is undertaking a PhD looking at using an Indigenous systems thinking approach to understand the current food system and how a transition to Indigenous food sovereignty might be best supported. Jacob is also founder and managing director of Yaamarra & Yarral, a social enterprise innovating new practices, and undertaking product development, to get ancient, under-utilised, and native grains back on the menu.
Project
To connect with First Nations people of North America to learn from their experiences with Manoomin
Jacob Birch
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