This article was originally published in Arizona Mirror.
Native students enrolled in schools operated by the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE) will have access to more comprehensive, culturally relevant agricultural training and education as part of a new partnership the BIE has established with the Native American Agriculture Fund ( HUB).
“This partnership furthers BIE’s commitment to providing high-quality, culturally relevant education while strengthening Indigenous communities and paving the way for a better future in Indigenous agriculture,” Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs Bryan Newland said in a statement press release.
NAAF is a private charity created by the settlement of the class action lawsuit Keepseagle against Vilsack, according to its website. NAAF provides grants to eligible organizations for business assistance, agricultural education, technical assistance and advocacy services to support indigenous farmers and ranchers.
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“Agricultural education is a fundamental focus for NAAF, providing students, producers and indigenous communities with the opportunity to engage in tribal agriculture, sustain food systems, strengthen credit and lending opportunities and support tribal economies,” said Toni Stanger, CEO from the Native American Agriculture Fund. -McLaughlin said in a press release.
As part of this partnership, the educational resources will explore both the history of indigenous agriculture and modern practices, the BIE said. Classes will focus on topics such as origins, leadership and plant science within indigenous communities.
“Expanding agricultural education through business and credit experiences, vocational education programs, youth initiatives and exposure to outdoor agriculture helps create greater interest and new opportunities for Indigenous students to develop career paths in agriculture and related fields,” Newland said .
As part of the partnership, students can participate in project-based learning, according to the BIE. Students will engage in traditional agricultural principles and practices, promoting an understanding of indigenous agricultural systems.
“This joint effort for lifelong agricultural education addresses a critical gap in agricultural education,” said Stanger-McLaughlin. “The goal is to provide indigenous students with education to preserve generational knowledge and sustain holistic agricultural ecosystems.”
The BIE and NAAF entered into a partnership in June and will launch educational resources at BIE-operated schools in Wingate, New Mexico, near the Navajo Nation and Zuni Pueblo.
NAAF’s sister organization, the Tribal Agriculture Fellowship Program, will lead the partnership with schools, according to the BIE, and they will develop and tailor resources to the needs of each school using the educational resources.
“We are excited to embark on this journey with BIE schools,” said Nicole De Von Jackson, director of the Tribal Agriculture Fellowship program, in a press release.
“This partnership represents an incredible opportunity to create customized resources that truly reflect the unique needs and strengths of each community,” De Von Jackson added. “We are excited to see how this initiative will inspire and empower Indigenous students to become the next generation of leaders in agriculture.”
The partnership will also support the Indigenous Foods Hubs project, which provides culturally-based healthy food education and encourages training for healthy and culturally appropriate food preparation, according to the BIE.
“From our Food Hubs program to community growth efforts and new degree programs, BIE has expanded opportunities for agricultural education from early childhood through post-secondary education,” said Tony L. Dearman, director of the Bureau of Indian Education, in a press release.
The Indigenous Food Hubs were launched in 2022 by the BIE and the Ministry of Home Affairs. Since its inception, it has been based in four BIE-managed schools.
The hubs use indigenous knowledge to develop holistic approaches to support indigenous food sovereignty movements, according to the BIE, which includes culture, social determinants of health, food, nutrition, land management and regenerative agriculture.
“This partnership will build on these efforts and support Indigenous agriculture, furthering our commitment to incorporating Indigenous knowledge into the BIE curriculum and providing career paths in agriculture,” Dearman said.
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