Sambaa K'e First Nation community gardening

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The Sambaa K'e First Nation is working with Laurier researchers to integrate agroecology—ecological approaches to farming—into their planning for food system resilience. Community gardens are important sites for agroecological food growing, education, research, and engagement.

About the Garden

Since 2020, Sambaa K'e First Nation (SKFN) has partnered with Laurier researchers to support their garden project to increase community food security. The garden includes a greenhouse, large field for growing, compost station, and pumps water from the nearby river. The garden has been very successful with the help of a full-time garden coordinator, summer students, community volunteers, and researchers in the community. Produce from the garden is shared through the community store and cooking circles.

Support for the Sambaa K’e Community Garden Project has come about through community-based research that focuses on building trust-based relationships and co-creating knowledge.

Members of the Sambaa K'e First Nation have shared their ideas and visions about what they want the future of their garden to look like and how it can meet the community's needs and Dene values. These discussions will form the basis of the research going forward.

Local Food System Planning

SKFN is working with Laurier researchers to update their Agriculture Plan into an Agroecology Plan. Agroecology is the science, social movement, and practice of addressing the ecological, economic, knowledge, social and governance dimensions of agriculture.

Through community-based research, SKFN chose agroecology as a framework to help them plan the future of their garden because it allows for Dene protocols and values to be integrated with agriculture. Protocols and values relating to food security, sharing, autonomy, taking care of the land, using what is available locally, supporting harvesters, intergenerational knowledge transfer, and language were established through interviews with community members and incorporated into the plan, alongside actions for organic agriculture, infrastructure, and sustainable livelihoods.

Sambaa K'e Gardening Workshop: June 2022

For community gardening projects to be successful over the long-term, building community capacity and knowledge for growing food sustainably is essential. Laurier researchers in partnership with Ecology North and the Sambaa K’e Garden Coordinator organized a 3- day workshop that workshop brought together youth and adults from Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation and SKFN to share skills and knowledge about sustainable agriculture.

Participants learned about preparing beds for planting, basic soil ecology, planting seeds and transplanting seedlings, fertilizing the soil with organic inputs, preparing compost tea, weeding and much more. Everyone at the workshop had the opportunity to put what they were learning into practice by sharing the work of planting and tending to the garden.

The Sambaa K'e First Nation, Ecology North, and the Government of the Northwest Territories, Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Investment provided support for this workshop.

Partners

• Laurier Centre for Sustainable Food Systems
• Sambaa K’e First Nation