SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
The chief of Ndilo is hoping, after a two-day conference last week, a growth in food independence can be a main focus among his band members.

Ndilo Chief Ernest Betsina left, stands with Lone Sorensen, agriculture mentor with the territorial department of Industry, Tourism and Investment during a North Slave Agricultural Awareness and Planning Training Workshop last week. - Simon Whitehouse/NNSL photo

Chief Ernest Betsina was one of three First Nations chiefs from the North Slave region, who attended the conference in the Champagne Room at 50 Street and 50 Avenue. He said over the next five years he would like to find ways to get his residents to build their own gardens.

"What I want to try to get out of this (conference) is food sustainability, food sovereignty for my people," he said. "I don't want to be too dependent on the grocery store and I want to teach my people how to grow vegetables."

Betsina said the community garden has become a very positive presence, including the increased vegetable growing capacity at Kalemi Dene School.

"I would like to shoot for five years for some of my members or most of my members," he said of households starting their own gardens. "If we can build or help build raised beds to put on their lots and actually grow the vegetables - I can foresee that for each household member. That is my goal, to teach members to grow their own food."

Betsina said while he has been interested in expanding the garden for some time since being elected chief in 2013, the conference was a benefit because it dealt with the practicalities of applying for government funding and planning for seeding.

The conference also spent much of Tuesday teaching about raising chickens, which he said he is open to learning more about.

With Betsina were Wekwati Chief Johnny Arrowmaker and Gameti Chief David Wedawin.

There were also a number of senior administrative officers from various communities, plus Lone Sorensen, an agriculture mentor with the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment. She said the conference was geared mostly toward the communities who were all represented.

She said the territorial government aimed to find ways to share knowledge related to gardening.

"I think there are different people working at this from different angles," she said. "Some communities talk about food security but in ITI we talk about growing food for economic development. In the Department of Health (and Social Services), they talk about growing food for health. It is food and growing of food and increasing food production can only be the antidote of helping those areas. It is good to get together and learn the skills. If nobody has the skills then everybody can talk about it from here to forever."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.