After signing Treaty, many Plains Indigenous Peoples were very successful farmers because of an intimate relationship with the land, water and sky that survives to this day. However, farming was not sustained on many Indigenous communities including Mistawasis Nêhiyawak and Muskeg Lake Cree Nation. As the only Indigenous Led Living Lab in Canada, the Bridge to Land Water Sky will also focus on identifying barriers indigenous people face when entering the Agricultural Industry. Most importantly it will celebrate Indigenous knowledge as a key factor in building a more innovative and climate resilient agricultural industry that will have global impacts.
As farmers face the brunt of the impacts of climate change, these living labs will focus on identifying innovative technologies and on-farm management practices that can be adopted by farmers nationwide to tackle climate change. The solutions developed will also help protect biodiversity on farms, improve water and soil quality, and, through the efficient management of resources, strengthen farmers’ bottom lines.
For the Bridge to Land Water Sky living lab we hope that the knowledge gained and the solutions identified will inspire a new wave of Indigenous agricultural producers, diversifying the sector with their traditional ways of knowing.
