CHIYAAN: Child Health Improvement through
​Youth Aggregated Ancestral Nutrition
--A public-private partnership--

Chʼiyáán (pronounced ch-Ee-yawn) is the Navajo word for food

Let's break this down:
​
1. Child Heath Improvement- At its core, CHIYAAN is about improving the health and wellbeing of children, starting from pregnancy and continuing through early childhood. This includes increasing access to nutrient-dense, culturally relevant foods, supporting breastfeeding and healthy hydration, and ensuring that families have the resources needed to raise healthy children. By focusing on supporting the development of food products targeting early life and eating habits/preferences, CHIYAAN addresses long-term health outcomes such as diabetes, obesity, and overall community wellness.

2. Youth Aggregated- “Youth Aggregated” reflects both who is involved and how the system works. CHIYAAN intentionally engages young and beginning farmers through programs like Farmers-in-REZidence, creating pathways for youth to grow, harvest, and contribute to the local food system. “Aggregated” also speaks to the physical role of CHIYAAN as a hub, bringing together food from multiple small producers into one coordinated system that can meet the needs of larger buyers like schools and childcare programs. This builds both workforce development and market access.

​3. Ancestral Nutrition- “Ancestral Nutrition” centers Indigenous foodways as the foundation of health. This means prioritizing traditional crops, preparation methods, and knowledge systems that have sustained our communities for generations. Foods like corn, squash, melons, ancient grains and traditional herbs are not only nutritionally valuable, they are culturally significant and deeply tied to identity, land, and healing. CHIYAAN restores these foods to everyday diets while adapting them into accessible, modern formats.

FEATURES

​The CHIYAAN facility is designed to support Indigenous farmers, food producers, and families through shared infrastructure, production capacity, and access to markets. The facility integrates modern food processing capabilities with culturally grounded practices to strengthen the regional food system.

CHIYAAN offers numerous benefits to local producers, including:

• Shared-Use Processing Spaces:​ CHIYAAN includes dedicated workspaces equipped for value-added food production, allowing farmers and entrepreneurs to safely process traditional foods such as corn/meal, baby foods, herbal teas, and other minimally processed products. 
• Commercial Equipment Infrastructure
  The facility provides access to shared equipment such as grain mills, dehydrators, freeze dryers, packaging systems, and commercial kitchen tools. This reduces the need for individual producers to invest in costly equipment while prototyping, increasing efficiency and production capacity.
• Permitting & Compliance Support
  CHIYAAN meets state food manufacturing and safety requirements (regulated through NMED), reducing barriers for small producers to enter institutional markets. The facility also supports users in understanding and meeting compliance requirements, including HACCP planning, SOP development and food manufacturing permitting.
• Aggregation & Storage Capacity
  The facility includes dry, cold, and bulk storage areas to aggregate products from multiple farmers. This allows CHIYAAN to supply larger buyers such as schools, childcare programs, and food banks with consistent volume and quality.
• Office & Administrative Space
  Onsite office space supports program coordination, business development, and administrative functions. It also provides space for farmers and partners to conduct meetings, planning sessions, and training activities.
• Education & Training Areas
  CHIYAAN incorporates flexible space for workshops, classes, and community gatherings, supporting programming related to nutrition, food safety, farming, and entrepreneurship.
• Integrated Production Systems
  The facility is connected to onsite agricultural production, including field crops and hydroponic systems, creating a closed-loop model from growing to processing to distribution.