Lil’wat First Nation Agricultural Plan

Topic	Sub-topic	Policy or Policy Excerpt	Document Location
water management; policy partnerships, advocacy, and development;	irrigation and drainage; partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Work with Pemberton Valley Dyking District and AANDC to improve water management for agriculture;	3.1 (2)
policy partnerships, advocacy, and development;	research and data collection;	Review agricultural bylaws in other jurisdictions and adopt bylaws and enforcement to prevent range practices on the communal lands that are degrading grasslands;	3.1 (3)
development and productive use of agricultural land;	zoning;	Consider strengthening zoning and defining allowable uses more specifically on Pasture Lands and Rural Residential Zones to ensure that non-farm development does not encroach onto or reduce the capability of farmland;	3.1 (4)
food production;		Explore projects to improve current farming efforts, the most important being improved livestock control, pasture fencing and sustainable management, and more productive family gardening;	3.2 (1)
development and productive use of agricultural land;		Explore incentives and/or eliminate drawbacks to encourage traditional occupiers of lands designated or zoned for agriculture to farm, such as providing assistance to construct irrigation wells or build exclusion fencing;	3.2 (2)
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Identify sites and provide access to irrigation water at locations considered appropriate forb agriculture;	3.2 (4)
urban agriculture;	urban gardens/orchard	Create a village or community garden sub-zone in the Land Use Plan and promote family community gardening;	3.2 (5)
land access;	research and data collection;	Assist citizens to access growing areas in the lowlands and at the town site by keeping an up-to-date inventory of citizens wanting to farm and linking them with those willing to provide land for this purpose;	3.2 (6)
land access;	leasing of land for agriculture;	Develop rental and leasing agreements that accommodate traditional occupier interests and create security for undertaking farming activities under the authority of the Nation’s Land Code;	3.2 (7)
land access;	leasing of land for agriculture;	Develop band-administered leasing arrangements based on enforceable contractual arrangements, e.g. under the new Lil’wat Nation Land Code;	3.2 (8)
development and productive use of agricultural land; land access;	roads in agricultural land; research and data collection;	Identify landlocked farmland and design, designate and build a road system that provides physical access by citizens to their inaccessible properties;	3.2 (9)
development and productive use of agricultural land;	livestock;	Eliminate damage caused by roaming livestock by creating and enforcing a policy or bylaw under the authority of the Nation’s Land Code to: · Require that livestock be registered (tagged or branded); · Require that livestock owners keep their animals fenced in; · Fence livestock out of environmentally sensitive areas; · Regulate and enforce irresponsible farmer behaviour (e.g., impound stray animals, fine for breach of conditions, auction off if not resolved in a timely manner).	3.2 (10)
wildlife/environmental/pest management;	livestock; wildlife and ecosystem management;	Attain sustainable use of communal pasture and hay lands by: · Establishing a system of pasture management to manage these resources for the benefit of Citizens and the community; · Limiting herd population in the communal area to a sustainable level based on an assessment of what the land can provide; · Setting up a system to allocate pasture quota fairly to animal owners; · Implementing a plan to rehabilitate the grass lands, including a fencing plan; · Preparing a capital and financing plan for managing the pasture, possibly including a user fee system to cover repair and maintenance.	3.2 (11)
education;	demonstration farm; community food system education; farmer training;	Work with Kwantlen Polytechnic University to establish and operate a multi-year hands-on Farm School on Lil’wat agricultural land;	3.3 (1)
education;	community food system education;	Work with the local School District and Xet’olacw Community School to introduce agricultural topics and classes; 8	3.3 (2)
urban agriculture; First Nations and indigenous food systems;	urban gardens/orchard;	Work with local funding organizations to encourage family gardening and create community gardening projects;	3.3 (3)
education; waste management;	composting;	Engage non-profit organizations in initiatives related to composting opportunities at Lil’wat Nation and training in community oriented agricultural activity;	3.3 (4)
education; nutrition and public health;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Explore opportunities to partner with organizations with personnel and resources in food areas of interest to Lil’wat citizens, including traditional foods, nutrition and food preparation;	3.3 (5)
education;		Explore opportunities for Lil’wat citizens to mentor with agri-businesses in Pemberton, possibly in cooperation with the Pemberton Farmers Institute	3.3 (6)
wildlife/environmental/pest management;	wildlife and ecosystem management;	Develop pasture management and livestock control on Lil’wat lands to provide opportunities for sustainable land use;	3.4 (1)
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	livestock; research and data collection;	Research agricultural policies and bylaws in other jurisdictions for application, as appropriate, to Lil’wat agricultural lands;	3.4 (2)
water management;	irrigation and drainage;	Assist in making water resources available to small lot operators, by accessing supply from nearby rivers in an environmentally sustainable fashion;	3.4 (3)
food sales, access and procurement; economic development; policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Develop working relationships with Pemberton Farmers Institute and Pemberton and Whistler Farmers Markets to make citizen entrepreneurs aware of market opportunities for local products;	3.4 (4)
education;		Invite groups, entrepreneurs and agencies to speak at workshops on agricultural opportunities and business development;	3.4 (5)
education; urban agriculture;	urban gardens/orchard;	Develop a community supported farming project catering to Lil’wat citizens, for example expanding the demonstration garden managed by the school in 2014 or partnering with likeminded community gardening advocates in the Squamish Lillooet Regional District to garner citizen support and involvement.	3.4 (6)
First Nations and indigenous food systems;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Create a Lands Section authority/responsibility within the Band for supporting citizens and participating in agricultural projects. This could be an entity within Band government delegated with the authority for the management of Lil’wat agricultural land.	3.5 (1)
policy partnerships, advocacy and development; First Nations and indigenous food systems;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising; agricultural advisory committee;	Establish an Agriculture Advisory Committee to oversee the implementation of the Agricultural Plan and advise Chief and Council and the Agricultural Coordinator, as required. It is anticipated that the Steering Committee guiding the agricultural planning process has several individuals who could continue to serve in this function.	3.5 (2)
First Nations and indigenous food systems;		Support citizen agricultural initiatives by assisting in accessing lending programs;	3.5 (3)
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising;	Engage government agencies and programs to financially assist in feasibility studies and business start-up planning, such as Investment Agriculture Foundation, Community Futures, Aboriginal Business Development Program, CESO Aboriginal Services; Business Development Bank of Canada.	3.5 (4)
policy partnerships, advocacy and development;	partnerships/advocacy/liaising	Create an Agricultural Coordinator position within the Lands Section of the Lil’wat Nation governance structure. The role of this position would be to implement the Lil’wat Nation Agricultural Plan, including coordinating and liaising with partners and participants and implementing the plan’s recommendations. Another important function of the Agricultural Coordinator would be to represent the interests of agriculture in dealing with potential impacts to agricultural resources from local, non-agricultural developments.	3.5 (5)