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VITAL PARTNERSHIPS

UNESCO CITY OF GASTRONOMY AND
THE CENTER FOR REGIONAL FOOD STUDIES
by Jennifer Yamnitz Jacob Chinn photos

‘The issues it addresses rom agricultural sciences John Paul Jones III, dean of the Nabhan is recognized
Fto folklore, cutting-edge College of Social and Behavioral internationally as a desert food
range from food nutrition to ancient food Sciences. scholar and farming activist.
deserts and food systems, UA researchers have “When people think He is a pioneer in the food
a long history of researching, of food studies, they often relocalization movement and
security to sustainability documenting and promoting think of nutrition, but the in heirloom seed conservation.
and identity.’ the borderland culinary heritage environmental, historical, Nabhan co-created Native Seeds/
that makes Tucson a distinct cultural and social-justice SEARCH, received a “genius
food city. aspects of food are also award” from the MacArthur
The Center for Regional important to our community,” Fellows Program and is a senior
Food Studies, established in Jones says. “This center is a contributing editor to Edible
2015 in the College of Social and collaborative effort to better Baja Arizona magazine. He has
Behavioral Sciences and the understand and improve our written nearly 30 books on food
Southwest Center, advances food region’s food culture. The issues and agriculture.
justice, food security and food it addresses range from food Nabhan and his research
systems innovations in border deserts and food security to colleagues monitor how the
states. This, in partnership with sustainability and identity.” City of Gastronomy designation
the City of Tucson, helps carry Gary Paul Nabhan, the helps Tucson with its economic
out the city’s educational and food studies center’s founding recovery and struggle to
outreach commitments as a director, is also the W.K. Kellogg vanquish food insecurity,
UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Endowed Chair in Sustainable hunger and poverty.
“We are excited that Tucson Food Systems at the Southwest “Tucson is deserving of
is a City of Gastronomy,” says Center. the City of Gastronomy title

Cardoon inflorescence at Tucson’s Tohono O’odham 60-day corn at Tucson’s Mission Garden. The garden is a re-creation of the Spanish colonial walled
Mission Garden garden that was part of Tucson’s historic San Agustín Mission. Located on the original site west of downtown, the garden
features heirloom Sonoran Desert-adapted fruit orchards and vegetable gardens interpreting 4,000 years of agriculture in
Tucson. A long agricultural history is one of the many reasons Tucson was named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy in 2015.

14 ARIZONA ALUMNI MAGAZINE