Context
With the growth of new agri‑food projects in the Atikamekw Nehirowisiw community of Wemotaci, Seskitin Elementary and Nikanik High School sought to enrich their schoolyards with fruit trees and shrubs. Following consultations with teachers and a permaculture expert, food forest plans were produced and the first phases implemented at the start of the school year.
CISA staff led the workshops with student groups. Alongside the planting, a summer program combined gardening with visual arts: local youth worked in the gardens during the mornings and participated in art workshops in the afternoons.
Project Objectives
The project’s primary objective was to encourage youth in Wemotaci to become involved in collective gardening, strengthening their engagement and sense of responsibility through hands‑on participation. It also sought to increase access to fresh food in the community while building social skills, leadership, creativity, and agricultural knowledge among young Atikamekw.