Project Grant 20184700228810

WE PROPOSE THIS SPECIAL EMPHASIS FOR OUR EXTENSION PROGRAM TO HELP MEET THE SERIOUS CHALLENGES THAT AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT FACES ON THE TOHONO O'ODHAM NATION. THIS FUNDING IS CRITICAL TO IMPLEMENT THE VARIETY OF PROJECTS WE ARE PLANNING TO ADDRESS THE MULTI-FACETED PROBLEMS THAT MUST BE SOLVED, FOREMOST OF WHICH IS THE PRECIPITOUS COLLAPSE OF TRADITIONAL NATIVE FARMING THAT WAS CENTRAL TO THIS AGRARIAN SOCIETY FOR MILLENNIA. ITS LOSS HAS LED TO A SOARING TYPE II DIABETES RATE AMONG THE DESERT PEOPLE WHOSE ANCESTORS WERE MASTERFUL BUILDERS OF A VAST IRRIGATION CANAL NETWORK BY HAND. WE BEGIN WITH RE-EDUCATION OF THE LOST AGRICULTURAL TRADITIONS AND THE RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF DISTRIBUTED OIDAG OR GARDENS AND SMALL FARM PLOTS. AT THE TOHONO O'ODHAM COMMUNITY COLLEGE BOTH WILL BE TAUGHT IN KEYSTONE COURSES WITHIN OUR AGRICULTURAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROGRAM. ON THIS FOUNDATION WE WILL SET UP AN EFFECTIVE PROGRAM OF DEMONSTRATION SITES ON THE LAND INCLUDING OUR EXISTING STUDENT LEARNING GARDEN AND SOON THE MUCH LARGER STUDENT LEARNING FARM. THROUGH OUR BUSINESS EDUCATION PROGRAM, WE WILL CONNECT THIS NATIVE CROP PRODUCTION WITH MEANS TO GET THE FOOD TO THE PEOPLE THROUGH FARMERS' MARKETS AS WELL AS A NEW RESTAURANT THAT FEATURES TRADITIONAL DISHES. THIS EXTENSION--SPECIAL EMPHASIS WILL BE LED BY PD DR. MARIO MONTES-HELU AND CO-PD CLIFFORD PABLO, WHO IS ONE OF THE LAST SURVIVING SOURCES OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURE AND A GREAT HUMAN RESOURCE FOR THIS EFFORT. FUNDING FOR THIS PROPOSED PROJECT WILL ALLOW US TO HIRE TWO MUCH NEEDED ASSISTANTS.