Sometimes in the agriculture world, we hear people ask why more Indigenous communities haven’t taken up farming today, especially when so much reserve land in Saskatchewan is cropland. In order to answer this question, we must look into the past and the bigger picture behind it. 

A significant amount of agriculture takes place on reserve lands, yet very few of the farmers controlling, benefitting from, or operating that land are Indigenous. 

Here are some important stats that often surprise people: 

• Between 3 and 4 million acres of agriculture take place on First Nations reserve lands in Saskatchewan. Most of this land is farmed by non-Indigenous farmers. (USask Indigenous Saskatchewan Encyclopedia) 
• Older estimates show that only about 20% of this agricultural land is actually farmed by First Nations people, with the rest leased or operated by others. (Pratt 2006; Champ et al. 2010) 
• Saskatchewan has about 40.3 million acres of cropland, which is roughly 43% of all cropland in Canada. (waapihk Research)
• This means that agriculture on reserve lands makes up about 7-10% of all cropland in Saskatchewan
• When compared to all cropland in Canada, agriculture on Saskatchewan reserve lands represents about 3-4% of the national total. 
• Only 2.8% of Canada’s farm population identifies as Indigenous. (Statistics Canada’s Agriculture - Population Linkage) 

At first glance, this might make it seem like “just wasn’t taken up” by Indigenous peoples, but when we actually look at the history a different picture emerges. A picture that is shaped by restrictive government policies, systemic barriers, and painful realities that made it extremely difficult for First Nations to build or sustain thriving farm operations. 

So, instead of assuming there was lack of interest or motivation, it’s important to understand the systemic barriers that held Indigenous farmers back. Some of these barriers were deliberate and others may not have been intended that way, but regardless of intent, the impacts are still felt today in land access, economic opportunity, and the number of Indigenous farmers farming in their own communities. Understanding this history helps explain where we are today, why, and how we move forward with more honesty, understanding, and respect. 

Early farming on the prairies was challenging for everyone. Short growing seasons, inadequate farming equipment, droughts, frosts, pests, and disease made agriculture difficult no matter who you were. While both Indigenous and non-Indigenous farmers faced many of the same difficulties with harsh environmental conditions, they did not face the same government policies. Indigenous farmers were forced to navigate restrictive and discriminatory systems that limited their market access, land use, independence, and even mobility. These policies didn’t just make farming for Indigenous peoples more difficult, they also disrupted cultural practices, traditions, and the ability to build livelihoods through agriculture. 

Indigenous agriculture wasn’t new — it was deeply rooted long before settlers arrived. Nations across the Plains grew crops like corn, squash, beans, sunflowers, and tobacco, managed plant ecosystems, and harvested hundreds of wild species for food and medicine. Indigenous farmers also understood the Prairies intimately including its drought cycles, frost patterns, soil behaviour, and wildlife movements. This deep rooted knowledge gave them a knowledge the early settlers didn’t have. 

In the 1870s, with the buffalo population collapsing, many Indigenous Nations saw farming as a path toward stability and long-term food security. Treaties promised tools, seeds, livestock, and farming education. However, instead of support, First Nations often received broken tools, poor-quality seeds, and minimal instruction, while settlers were given homestead grants, access to modern equipment, and government-funded agricultural programs. 

From the very beginning, the playing field wasn’t level. 

In 1889, Indian Commissioner Hayter Reed introduced the Peasant Farming Policy. The policy was based on the belief that Indigenous Peoples should learn how to farm using simple tools such as a hoe and a rake on small plots of land. 

Under this policy, Indigenous farmers were forced to: 

• use only basic, outdated tools
• avoid modern farming methods
• avoid mechanized equipment like plows or tractors 
• keep their farms small 

Agricultural instructors were forbidden from teaching modern techniques. Meanwhile, settlers were rapidly embracing new technologies, rapidly expanding commercial farming in the prairies. 

Two other policies made farming incredibly difficult for First Nations: 

Indigenous people needed written permission from the Indian Agent just to leave the reserve, making it difficult to travel, attend markets and sell crops. Although never passed into law, it was enforced across the Prairies from 1885 well into the 1940s, with the federal government formally ending it in 1941. There is some evidence that suggests the system persisted in some communities into the early 1950s, despite having no legal basis. 

The Pass System was one of the most restrictive tools used to control First Nations movement. In addition, the system also restricted non-Indigenous visitors from entering reserves, cutting off trade, social relationships, and market connections. 

The Permit System added another layer of restriction for Indigenous farmers. Under this policy, First Nations people needed written permission from the Indian Agent before they could sell crops, buy supplies, or transport goods. Permits were granted and denied at the agent’s discretion, and delays were common. In many cases, farmers waited so long for a permit that their crops spoiled before they were allowed to sell them. This system greatly limited Indigenous participation in local markets. 

Unlike the Pass System which was never into the Indian Act, the Permit System had legal backing. It began with an 1881 amendment to the Indian Act that prohibited the sale or trade of reserve-grown produce without government approval. After 1885, Indian Agents actively enforced this system. Although enforcement faded by the mid-1960s, the underlying prohibition remained in the Indian Act for decades and was not formally repealed until 2014 through Bill C-428. 

After 1885, the federal government introduced policies - most notably Severalty, which was designed to dismantle Indigenous collective land systems. Under Severalty, reserve lands were divided into small individual parcels, pushing First Nations away from communal land systems and forcing them into a Euro‑Canadian, individualistic model of farming. By dividing reserve land into smaller parcels, it made it easier for the government to track who farmed what and to reallocate any land that wasn’t being used according to strict government expectations. This shift reduced the amount of land Indigenous farmers could put into production and weakened the collective farming structures that supported communities for generations. 

At the same time, the government suppressed collective farming, even though it was a core part of many Indigenous communities. Indian Agents and departmental policies discouraged or blocked community-based farming by ways including, preventing collective purchases of equipment and enforcing rules that favoured individual plots over shared fields. Indigenous communities traditionally farmed collectively, sharing labour, responsibilities, and tools, reflecting cultural values and communal living, but federal policy pushed them away from these practices. Meanwhile, settler groups such as Hutterites were fully permitted to farm collectively without any restrictions.

Again, the playing field wasn’t level. 

In some cases, when Indigenous communities were succeeding in agriculture, the government intervened through forced relocations. A well-known example is the Thunderchild First Nation. After heavy pressure from federal officials in 1908, the community was pushed into agreeing to a land surrender and was moved off its rich farmland near Delmas so settlers could take it over. The relocation was difficult and families even lost cattle while crossing the North Saskatchewan River. The new land they were moved to was much poorer for farming, making it far harder for the community to rebuild the success they once had.

Being an Indigenous farmer was already difficult enough with all the discriminatory policies, and in the 1880s the negative impacts from the policies seemed to be magnified due to back to back droughts and frost devastating crops. Even the most successful farmers gave up farming. 

Today, the impacts of those policies are still felt across the Prairies. We see it in: 

• the underrepresentation of Indigenous farmers 
• ongoing land-use inequities 
• limited access to capital and modern equipment 
• ongoing struggles in training, markets, and economic opportunities 

Recognizing this history helps us understand today with more clarity and compassion. It challenges long-held assumptions about why Indigenous farming participation is low and reminds us that these outcomes were shaped by policies — not by lack of ability or interest. 

As we continue working together — sharing data, building partnerships, and supporting farmers across the prairies and beyond — acknowledging past harms is an important part in building a better future. Many First Nations are already leading this work. Communities are reclaiming land stewardship, investing in agricultural training, and supporting youth. Government programs, including long-overdue compensations like Cows and Plows, are also helping to open new doors for Indigenous producers. 

There is still much to repair, but there is also a growing movement focused on empowerment, food sovereignty, and rebuilding agricultural capacity in ways that centre Indigenous knowledge and leadership. Even after generations of barriers, the future of Indigenous farming in Saskatchewan can be strong, resilient, and community-driven. 

Maddie Gould

Communications Manager

Bridge to Land Water Sky

• Overview of policies like the Peasant Farming Policy, Pass & Permit Systems, and relocations
• Background on pass, permit, and severalty systems after 1885
• Sowing a way towards revitalizing Indigenous agriculture: creating meaning from a forum discussion in Saskatchewan, Canada
• Thunderchild First Nation Land Surrender
• Thunderchild First Nation operating Thunder Farms today
• The socioeconomic portrait of the Indigenous farm population in Canada, 2021
• Indian Act Amendment and Replacement Act (2014) - Repealed Section 32, ending the permit-system clause
• First Nations Agriculture in Saskatchewan – Eric Tang (Saskatchewan Indian Cultural Centre)