Indigenous Agricultural Innovation with Thomas Benjoe - Agriculture played an important role in colonialism and today it can hopefully help build reconciliation. We explore how First Nations can pursue prosperity through business development in agriculture and agri-business with Thomas Benjoe, President/CEO of FHQ Developments in Saskatchewan, chair of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, and 2021 Globe Report on Business Changemaker. Thomas and FHQ held a virtual conference in September 2021 on Indigenous Agricultural Innovation. 

FHQ Developments is the economic development entity of the File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council, itself a council of 11 First Nations in the Treaty 4 area of Saskatchewan including Saulteaux (Anishnabe), Lakota, Dakota, Nakoda and Cree (Nehiyaw). We explore the opportunities and challenges of First Nations’ economic development including access to capital and credit as well as skills development and training.

Indigenous people and agriculture have a long history in Canada and on Turtle Island. The agricultural innovations from Indigenous peoples in the Americas transformed global agriculture after European contact, with new crops like maize, beans and potatoes. And European-style agriculture was promised as the means for livelihoods in the numbered treaties of western Canada, only to be quickly subverted. Over the next couple of months, we will be doing a series of shows on different aspects of Indigenous agriculture.

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More information:

File Hills Qu’Appelle (FHQ) Developments 

 https://fhqdev.com/

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File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Council

https://fhqtc.com/

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Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations

https://www.fsin.ca/ 

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Indigenous Peoples in Canadian agriculture - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/indigenous-peoples-canadian-agriculture

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For Thomas Benjoe, building Indigenous wealth is a fundamental part of reconciliation

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/business/rob-magazine/article-breaking-barriers-for-thomas-benjoe-building-indigenous-wealth-is-a/