Siksikaitsitapi Project

Oki (welcome)

The Siksikaitisitapi or Blackfoot Confederacy is made up of four nations: Kainai – Blood Tribe, Piikani – North Peigan, Amskapi Piikani – South Peigan Blackfeet, and Siksika. The territory of the Siksikaitsitapi is located in the Northern Great Plains and goes from the North Saskatchewan River (north) to the Yellowstone River (south), from the Rockies (west) to the Great Sand Hills in Saskatchewan. There are approximately 24,000+ Siksaitsitapi members. The Rural Routes to Climate Solutions (RR2CS) Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project (SAP) is an opportunity for Siksikaitsitapi members to highlight on-farm and on-ranch climate solutions (e.g. regenerative agriculture, farm energy efficiency, on-farm clean energy) on Blackfoot territory.

The project empowers Siksikaitsitapi members by providing a platform for them to explore and identify which on-farm and on-ranch climate solutions align with Blackfoot culture and ways of knowing. Using a culture-specific model of engagement, project activities are delivered with the appropriate cultural lens, to further a Nation-to-Nation relationship and to honour the spirit and intent of Truth and Reconciliation.

Using a Participant-Driven Process to Identify the Appropriate Solutions

Through community gatherings, workshops and field days and a variety of communications tools (podcast, articles, etc.), the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project establishes a platform where Siksikaitsitapi members can collaborate, share experiences, and make collective decisions on two key issues:

  1. Identifying the on-farm and on-ranch climate solutions that align with Blackfoot culture.
  2. Determining how these culturally-aligned solutions can positively impact community health and food security in the Siksikaitsitapi.

 

Once the on-farm and on-ranch climate solutions that meet the criteria have been identified by project participants, the next step for the project will be to explore, discuss and determine how to accelerate the adoption rates of these solutions in the Siksikaitsitapi. Once again, it will be project participants who will come together to determine the best path forward for increasing adoption.

LEARNINGS FROM PHASE ONE

The first phase of the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project (2021-2022) brought attention to the challenges surrounding on-Nation farming and ranching for Siksikaitsitapi members that we were unaware of prior to the initial launch of the project such as barriers created by the Indian Act or the challenges accessing financial capital to expand or start an agricultural operation.

Phase 1 also taught us the importance of addressing health concerns and food security in addition to exploring culturally appropriate land management practices in agriculture. All of these learnings have been incorporated into the objectives of Phase 2, the Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project’s current phase.

Does this look interesting to you?

The Siksikaitsitapi Agriculture Project is seeking Blackfoot Knowledge Holders and Elders to guide the project and the project team.

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