Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Partner with Makkovik Inuit Community
Marilyn Faulkner knows firsthand the challenges of growing food in Nunatsiavut’s rocky, acidic soils. Born in the tight-knit Inuit community of Rigolet and now a community member of Makkovik on the North Coast of Labrador, she grew up learning to work with what the land provides. Today, as the Inuit Food Systems research technician with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), that same resourcefulness is at the heart of Marilyn’s work with the Supporting Makkovimmiut Food Systems partnership project. This collaboration between AAFC and Makkovik Inuit Community Government follows a community-directed approach to strengthening the diverse food systems of Makkovimmiut (residents of Makkovik). Composting research is a central component of this extensive project. Marilyn and other members of the AAFC research team like Ulrica McKim have combined organic waste with sustainable and natural local materials to create nutrient-rich compost that improves the region’s soils for agriculture. One of the secrets to their success is a dedicated network of volunteer community composters.
By carefully timing harvesting, stockpiling, and mixing of ingredients, the team has been able to produce useable compost in 12 months, compared to 24 months at the start of the project. They've created Grade A compost right in Makkovik, rivaling commercial products that would otherwise need to be shipped to the community at a high cost. The proof in the planting is already visible. At the project’s central research and community hub, Makkoviup Pigutsevingit (Makkovik Gardens), researchers and community members use the compost side-by-side in research, community learning, teaching, and demonstration beds to grow root vegetables, greens, onions, and even heritage rhubarb.
“We’re taking what we have and what would otherwise be thrown away and turning it into a resource to grow our own food,” Marilyn explains. “It’s about thinking outside the box and finding ways to make use of what’s already around us.”
The Makkovik composting initiative embodies the spirit of sharing and resilience that defines Indigenous communities.
Learn more: Growing green in Makkovik: Indigenous knowledge and community spirit propel partnership research with AAFC
Source: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
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