A greenhouse based in the northern Canadian community of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik is providing fresh local produce for residents of the Arctic region for the first time. Members of this community have had little opportunity to include produce in their diet due to Arctic conditions unsuitable for agriculture and high food prices. Many of them have expressed their frustration with high food prices in protests and demonstrations.
Processed food comprises more than 84 percent of the average diet of individuals in Nunavik. At present, the demands of a growing population make the existing traditional food system in the region unable to adequately feed the community. The greenhouse will help improve local food security by extending the growing season past the summer months.