Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) outreach efforts with Indigenous Peoples are helping to foster relationships and partnerships with Indigenous communities and organizations. These discussions will assist AAFC in developing agricultural programs and policies that will help increase the participation of Indigenous partners in the agriculture sector.
Indigenous agriculture regional engagement sessions
The report “Indigenous Agriculture and Agri-Food in Canada: Perspectives, experiences, and opportunities for the future” discusses a series of regional engagement sessions held by AAFC in partnership with the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council (CAHRC) in summer 2021. AAFC commissioned CAHRC to host 5 virtual regional sessions with Indigenous partners across Canada in order to learn about Indigenous connections to food and agriculture, and to gather perspectives on key topics, including:
- challenges and opportunities for Indigenous agriculture initiatives
- government support and program experiences
- training and capacity building opportunities
- creation of a national advisory table for AAFC and a national forum for Indigenous agriculture and agri-food
The sessions had a total of 48 participants from a wide range of agriculture and agri-food backgrounds, including Indigenous – organizations, business owners, and farmers and operators.
Comments and ideas gathered during the sessions will be used by AAFC and partners to inform a broader understanding of the experiences and opportunities for Indigenous agriculture and agri-food practices in Canada, as well as help to inform future policies and programs.
To learn more, please consult the What We Heard report
AAFC looks forward to continued discussion, dialogue, and collaboration with Indigenous partners. If you have questions or suggestions about Indigenous agricultural programs and activities, please contact us:
Phone or fax
Telephone: 1-866-367-8506
TTY: 613-773-2600
Fax: 1-877-949-4885
Indigenous Pathfinder Service
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
1341 Baseline Road
Tower 7, Floor 6
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0C5
aafc.indigenouspathfinder-explorateurautochtone.aac@agr.gc.ca