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Black Farmer Groundings Symposium
Black Farmer Groundings: Fellowship, Networking, and Adaptation
SCHEDULE
Black farmers across Canada are not just paying attention to adapting to climate change as a major threat to their livelihoods, they are also trying to find solutions to perennial challenges that have left them on the periphery of the agricultural sector. These challenges include access to affordable land for farming, access to grants, and integration into policy making/shaping in the agricultural sector. Groundings is a space requested by and delivered to Black farmers to enable three major objectives:
· To curate a relationship of trust between Black farmers and the University of Guelph as an institution with expertise in community engaged innovation and agriculture
· To create a networking opportunity for Black farmers to meet and have fellowship with each other, and to share how they are engaged in on aspects of climate change adaptation and business success;
· To create a space of dialogue between Black farmers and key agricultural and mental health stakeholders.
8:45-9:30 Breakfast & Welcome
9:30-10:00 Session One – Black Food and Land Sovereignty in Canada
Anan Lololi and Peachtree
Black farmers have developed a framework to reflect on and organize their farming practice. This session outlines differences in farming influenced by identity. It also outlines what is needed for Black farmers to be able to manage climate changes, thrive and survive successfully in farming in Ontario.
10:10-11:25 Session Two – Community Research from farmers
Kadeem & Carlton Morgan, Nicole Sinclair, Chris Prince
Black farmers are interrupting the researcher/researched binary. Many of them are engaged in their own reflection and solution building research. This session is an open session for farmers to share research projects they are doing with other Black farmers, university, and ministry stakeholders.
11:35-12:15 Session Three - Understanding the Rights of Community in Community Engaged Research
Community Engaged Scholarship Institute, University of Guelph
The Black community bears a disproportionate burden as ‘research subjects’ in the western knowledge making enterprise. This session helps farmers to understand some of their rights and the responsibilities of researchers practicing in community engaged ways. The aim is to provide farmers with the tools to safely engage in research while guarding against burnout and research fatigue.
12:15-1:15 Lunch at PJs
1:20-2:35 Session Four – Conversations with Agriculture Stakeholders
Black farmers outlined policy positions that were causing stress of difficulties adjusting to climate change. This space enables farmers to speak directly to agricultural and ministry stakeholders to express their concerns and for stakeholders to provide responses or guidance that addresses concerns.
2:45-3:15 Session Five – Feedback from Black Farmers’ Climate Change Research
Dr. Marsha Myrie & Dr. Andria Jones
Often universities conduct research projects without a feedback link to the participants. This section allows Black farmers to hear their responses and some of the highlights of the research they participated in.
3:15-4:30 Session Six – Capacity Building, Farmer Collectives and Accountability in the Black Farming Community
Toyin Kayo-Ajayi and Jacqueline Dwyer
Where to go from here? How do farmers organize themselves to be able to withstand perennial challenges and climate impacts? How do Black farmers register to take advantage of industry benefits? What does honouring Black women in farming and healing together as a race look like? In this wide-ranging panel, we hear from two leading organizers in Canadian Black farming.
4:30-5:00 Recess/Networking/Goodbyes
Hosted by:
Dr. Marsha Myrie & Dr. Andria Jones
Funding Provided by: The University of Guelph, The Ontario Agricultural College, The Ontario Veterinary College, and the Canadian Mental Health Association - Ontario Division’s Agricultural Wellness Ontario, and the Arrell Food Institute
