New plans this fall for Indigenous youth seeking future in agriculture

By Kelly Anne Smith

CORBEIL—First Nations Agriculture and Finance Ontario (FNAFO) has a new program to help Indigenous youth choose agriculture as a career.

As the number of people farming decreases, the number of Indigenous people farming is increasing.

Statistics Canada reports that since 2016, Indigenous people farming has risen 6 per cent; 16,705 Indigenous people are farming, with the biggest increase seen in First Nation peoples.

Jennifer Hunter-O’Brien of Sagamok Anishnawbek is the Seven Generations Lead with FNAFO. FNAFO has a new program starting up in September to teach highschool students across Northern Ontario about agriculture.

“I think it’s really exciting to educate these young minds for them to explore this option.”

Hunter-O’Brien is also a registered veterinarian technician who has a lot of experience with large animals and works at growing healthy food for her family. The Seven Generations Lead is excited to be able to go into a variety of classrooms to promote farming and agriculture.

“Everybody needs to eat. And without farming and without agriculture, no one’s going to get that,” says Hunter-O’Brien. “So, farming and agriculture needs to grow or we are not going to have the food that we need in the future.”

Hunter-O’Brien also cautioned about preserving farmland.

“I think it needs to be monitored closer and only a certain amount of designated farmland be allowed per municipality, per year, to change from farmland to commercial or residential property. This will allow some adjustments to be made as some municipalities have a substantial amount of property just doing nothing.”

The opportunity for the agricultural course will first be offered to on-reserve high schools students, says Hunter-O’Brien.

“That’s where we’ll be starting and then branch out and go into municipality highschools. For example, Scollard Hall (in North Bay) has a whole Indigenous program. We are going to try to work our way into those highschools, but right now we are reserve focused.”

The focus is not just on Northern Ontario, says Hunter-O’Brien.

“It’s Northern Ontario that we are focusing for in-class, but it’s Ontario-wide as long as there are First Nation students in the classroom. We can do class virtually as well,” Hunter-O’Brien explains. “At the present moment, we have four different lessons and each lesson is for each grade. I have a lesson for Grade Nine, Grade 10, Grade 11, and Grade 12…And each lesson can be tweaked. If a teacher is more interested in what I’m teaching in Grade 12, we can always tweak it for a Grade Nine.”

Hunter-O’Brien says new growing opportunities for northern First Nations are opening up.

“There is vertical farming we can switch to, which is a container that is all computerized. And there’s greenhouse growing that’s a better option where you can control the climate. It’s a little more expensive than growing outdoors, obviously because you have to be there to control it all…I think we have better options. Our season is getting longer in Northern Ontario, but for growing outdoors, there’s always the struggles of what Mother Earth is going to do to us.”

FNAFO also has a 4H program.

“Right now, our program is focused on highschool age because we want to pique their interest before they go into college or university and choose their career path. But eventually, we do want to go to those younger ages. I do hope to collaborate with 4H and see if we can promote things together.”

Hunter-O’Brien has a good-sized garden and was asked about this year’s growing season.

“This year has been a little challenging with the amount of rain that we’ve had. It’s been too much. Towards the beginning of the season, it was wonderful because we could plant so early. May was so beautiful, but then June seemed like it was April.”

Hunter-O’Brien says farming and growing is trial and error.

“It’s going to vary from season to season and no one can really predict how much rain we are going to get or not get. Last year, I find I struggled with not enough water and this year, there’s too much.”

Thriving in the open air, Hunter-O’Brien encourages students to think about working the land.

“The major part is that for Grade Nine to 12, it can be virtual or in-class and it’s free for First Nation students.”

For further information or inquiries, those interested are encouraged to e-mail: info@firstnationsag.ca,