Context
Since 2017, CISA has been working with the Atikamekw community of Opitciwan to develop local food autonomy. Eight gardening spaces have been established, including a greenhouse at Mikisiw High School. To ensure the development of a local agricultural workforce, CISA and the high school have also been collaborating since 2021 to implement an agri-food education program.
In the spring of 2021 and 2022, students in special education programs participated in several weeks of introductory activities in the agri-food sector, led by CISA researchers. Teachers and school administrators expressed the need to continue agricultural activities year-round. The current project builds on this initiative, aiming to launch a Support and Capacity-Building Program for Agri-Food Production at Mikisiw High School in the winter of 2023.
Project Objectives
The primary objective is to introduce students at Mikisiw High School to the agri-food sector. Three key areas of activity have been prioritized: indoor production, technical innovations, and greenhouse production.
Secondary objectives include:
- Introducing students to entrepreneurship through the production and sale of microgreens.
- Transferring knowledge to school staff to encourage local governance of agri-food projects within the community.