ABSTRACT
Food security, which is one component of human security, is not limited to problems with access to food; it is an approach that addresses human rights and human dignity. The food security of Sami reindeer herders is intricately linked to their livelihood, and it concerns their traditional lifestyles and culture. Shortly after the 1986 nuclear power plant accident in Chernobyl, a radioactive cloud affected the traditional Sami area. In Sweden and Norway, the highest deposits of caesium 137 (Cs-137) were measured in reindeer herding areas. In response, the governments of Norway, Sweden, and Finland increased the limits of caesium. This measure sought to sustain the Sami reindeer herders’ livelihood. However, it can be argued that this decision prioritised economic needs above health risks.
This chapter examines how the Sami reindeer herder community has repositioned the importance of health security. It also considers the implications of expanding the idea of food security by relaxing these limits. To address these questions, the chapter first examines what food security might mean to the Sami people from the perspective of human security. Then, it adopts an ethics of care approach to examine the roles and positions of women in Sami reindeer herding society at the time of the Chernobyl accident. These Sami women were concerned about the health risks to their families and communities and raised their voices. For Sami reindeer herders, food security cannot be divorced from matters of economy, culture, health, and the environment.
