Building Internal Capacity for the Blackfeet Tribe Agricultural Resource Management Plan (ARMP)

Project Overview

EW18-027
Project Type: Professional Development Program
Funds awarded in 2018: $52,155.00
Projected End Date: 09/30/2019
Grant Recipient: Blackfeet Tribe
Region: Western
State: Montana
Principal Investigator:
Loren Bird Rattler
Email
Blackfeet Tribe

Commodities

Not commodity specific

Practices

  • Animal Production: grazing management, grazing - multispecies, rangeland/pasture management, watering systems
  • Crop Production: irrigation, organic fertilizers, water management
  • Education and Training: extension, networking, on-farm/ranch research, workshop
  • Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
  • Pest Management: weed ecology
  • Soil Management: soil quality/health
  • Sustainable Communities: employment opportunities, food sovereignty

    Abstract:

    The “Building Internal Capacity for the Blackfeet Tribe Agricultural Resource Management Plan
    (ARMP)” project aims to build internal capacity by further professionalizing the existing
    workforce through classroom and field courses and attendance of professional conferences, and
    support sustainable agricultural practices through a Sustainable Agriculture Train-the-Trainer
    course series delivered through the MSU Tribal Extension Office. These trainings are aligned
    with the goals of the ARMP, which intends to improve economic conditions and political
    sovereignty of the Tribe by building the agricultural industry on the Reservation and
    implementing holistic, food sovereignty projects that connect agriculture with community health.
    By building capacity internally, the Tribe can ensure the success of projects managed by
    dedicated professionals who are attuned to realities on the reservation, cultural, political,
    climatic, or otherwise. Anticipate outcomes include train the trainer curriculum materials that
    may be adapted to other tribal communities and courses that tribal producers may attend to gain
    exposure to new techniques and solutions to existing challenges.

    Project objectives:

    (Objective 1): Further professionalize the core ARMP agricultural professionals to meet
    the goals and objectives of the ARMP through professional society conferences and
    workshops and distance and field courses focused on project management and other
    sustainable agriculture content (Tribe, ARMP PI, MSU).

    (Objective 2): Development and delivery of a sustainable agricultural focused, Extension
    sponsored, Train-the-Trainer series that will benefit the full ARMP team and producers.

    Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or SARE.