Gardening enthusiasts converge
'Timing is right' for NWT agriculture strategy, says ITI rep during conference
April Hudson
Northern News Services
Thursday, March 9, 2017
LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
A three-day agriculture conference in Fort Simpson brought together gardeners of all ages from across the region to hone their green thumbs.
The Dehcho Agriculture Conference, hosted by the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, brought in up to four representatives from each community in the region to attend.
With presentations from the Northern Farm Training Institute, Ecology North, the department and others, the weekend took first youth and then other delegates on a trip through the world of agriculture.
Topics included getting youth involved with gardening, school gardening, seeding and farmer's markets, as well as composting and greenhouses.
The conference came just as the territorial government announced the release of the NWT Agriculture Strategy, a five-year plan that includes six pillars needed to develop the territory's agricultural sector.
Tracy St. Denis, director of economic diversification for the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment, described the strategy as a "roadmap."
"This is the first strategy of its type, and it talks about some things we need to do to advance the sector," she explained.
St. Denis, who attended the Dehcho Agriculture Conference in Fort Simpson, said on March 5 the conference provided an opportunity for a wider discussion of the recently released strategy.
"The response we got back was that people are excited about it. They're glad the GNWT got together with the different departments to support this sector," she said.
"This was a great opportunity to talk about the strategy."
The hope is that they can boost the agriculture industry while reducing the cost and increasing the availability of food for Northerners.
The plan is to accomplish this by identifying training opportunities, ensuring that the Department of Lands adopts an approach that supports agriculture and finding ways to get funding for those interested in farming among other things.
St. Denis said a year ago the department went to the territory's 33 communities to discuss how agriculture affects each of them. The information from those sessions was compiled into a document titled What We Learned.
"People grow food in all 33 communities. Some of them have farmer's markets, community fairs - even the jams being created in Tuktoyaktuk" she said.
"That was the foundation for this strategy."
Although the strategy is a five-year plan, St. Denis said it will be reviewed regularly to ensure the territory is "still on the right path."
There will be flexibility for the government to adapt its plan if need be.
