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Indigenous Food Soverignty Project

Indigenous Food Soverignty Project works with Aboriginal communities to address food security issues. Teaching people how to grow food and eat in healthy ways is the most important aspect of what IFSP does. In the past, this has meant specifically teaching people how to garden organically through backyard and community gardens. Through a recent baseline assessment, surveys and basic observations made through continuous conversations with clients, it is clear that gardening is not enough. Many clients do not have a broad enough spectrum of food preparation skills to know how to use garden vegetables to the fullest extent.

IFSP has expanded to looking more holistic solutions to food security. This has created opportunities to expand workshops and programs around traditional food practices such as gathering, traditional feasts, gardening, cooking, food preparation, health and fitness, chickens and other small livestock, community economic development, and food policy.

IFSP's mandate is to work alongside individuals and families both on and off reserve and in communities within Vancouver Island's CRD area who have a need and desire to grow their own organic food at home, learn cooking, and other basic food skills including traditional and non-traditional skills and knowledge with the ultimate goal of lessening financial burdens, helping people lead healthier lifestyles, and become more self-sustaining.

IFSP provides our partners with continuous support in developing and maintaining programs which include gardens, traditional feasts, community kitchens, learning livestock skills, developing nutrition and traditional food programs. This gives everyone involved a feeling of satisfaction from working together towards community sustainability and self-sufficiency. Our programs and workshops are offered according to the needs of the community.

Indigenous Food Soverignty Project's Current Projects

HEAL worker

  • Urban HEAL worker in partnership with LifeCycles, VIHA Aboriginal Health and Victoria Native Friendship Centre. Carrie is based out of VNFC and provides extensive programming.

Garden Program

  • Tsartlip (30 families)
  • Pauquachin (5 families)
  • Tseycum (community garden -monthly visit)
  • VNFC (community garden)

Community Kitchen Program

  • Feasting for Change is a multi-organization partnership directed by a collaborative working group that LifeCycles sits on. Feasting for Change supports traditional food feasts in First Nation communities within the CRD area.
  • Beecher Bay (community kitchen)

Lifecycles Project Society is involved in on-going discussions about food security within Aboriginal communities in partnership with local communities and organizations.