June 14, 2018
Three new tractors in the Sahtu Region are making a big difference in community agriculture for Norman Wells, Tulita and Colville Lake.
In Norman Wells, growers were able to plow the front lawn of the Sahtu Greenhouse and convert it into a usable growing space. With access to the new space, harvest of root vegetables and potatoes is expected to increase by several hundred pounds per year.
Meanwhile, Tulita is cultivating an acre of land for agriculture. Three quarters of the land will be used for commercial agriculture including root vegetables and potatoes, with the remainder being set aside for the community gardening program.
Vegetable plots previously had to be tended to with a manually operated roto-tiller, which weighed more than 100kg. This work can now be done with Tulita’s new tractor-mounted tiller.
In Colville Lake, an unused asset was repurposed and is being transformed into a community garden with the help of the tractor. Using the Colville Lake tractor for field production this year will help growers better understand the extent and effect of permafrost at this location.
The tractors in Colville Lake and Tulita both have front-end loaders that play a critical role in container vegetable production. Containers of potatoes can weigh up to 50kg, but with the help of the tractors these containers can be carried to the sifting location and the soil can be prepared and stored for the next year's production.
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The tractors were purchased under the Growing Forward 2 program delivered in partnership with the federal government.
Interest, engagement and enthusiasm in agriculture has been growing in the Sahtu Region in recent years and the purchase of vital equipment such as tractors, will enable communities to yield greater harvests and further advance the budding sector. This work is one of the ways that the Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment is supporting sustainable commercial food production and planning with communities, a recommendation of the NWT Agriculture Strategy.
On April 1, 2018, Growing Forward was replaced by the new five-year Canadian Agriculture Partnership.
Approximately $5.6 million will be directly invested in the NWT agriculture sector under the Partnership. It will fund initiatives and investments aimed at encouraging the development of a relevant, commercially-viable food production and processing sector; and advancing greater self-sufficiency and food production in the NWT’s remote communities.
