Agriculture and Food Systems- Engagement

Agriculture and food systems – Engagement to guide the Town of Hay River’s Healthy Communities Strategy

The Town of Hay River is creating a Healthy Communities Strategy and would like input on agriculture and food production priorities from community members and stakeholders. PlanIt North, a Yellowknife-based consulting firm, has been hired by the Town to lead this work. We want to learn from your experience in the agriculture and food sector, and to tie in your suggested priorities and actions into the town’s Healthy Communities Strategy.

Intended outcomes of this discussion

•  Increased Understanding: of a Healthy Communities Strategy and how it can support partnerships and collaboration in Hay River

•  Shared Definitions: of what 'health' means relative to agriculture and food production

•  Strategic Planning: to identify strategies for building on community assets and addressing gaps in the local agriculture and food sector

Discussion topics (suggested 2 hours)

1.  Introductions

2.  Review: why create a Healthy Communities Strategy?

3.  How would you define ‘health’ and ‘sustainability’, based on your work in the agriculture and food sector?

4.  What does a healthy community look like to you?

5.  What do you want agriculture and food production in Hay River to look like in 10 years?

6.  What are current assets (strengths) in your community within the agriculture and food sector?

7.  What are the challenges or gaps in Hay River and barriers within the NWT to  agriculture and food production?

8.  There is a range of tools that can be used to address the current gaps in Hay River’s agriculture and food production system. Using the following tools as a reference guide, how can the Town of Hay River, and its partners, address these gaps effectively over the next 10 years?

Example tools:

·  Policy and legislation

·  Partnerships

·  Research

·  Human resources and capacity building

·  Infrastructure

·  Funding

·  Programs and Services