Pine Ridge food hub master plan

Oglala Lakota Communications Office

PINE RIDGE – After nearly three years of in-depth research and planning in close collaboration with community members, Makoce Agriculture Development has released its Master Plan for the Pine Ridge Reservation’s first ever Food Hub–a cutting-edge facility that will support the development of a local, regenerative food system.

Set to be built on 24 acres in Porcupine, South Dakota, the Food Hub will serve as the central connection point between local producers and food entrepreneurs–including farmers, ranchers, chefs, caterers, and more–and the broader community. Through the Hub, local producers will be able to access essential tools and resources to distribute their goods more effectively, helping to build their businesses and reach new markets. At the same time, the Hub will ensure that all community members are able to access nourishing, locally produced foods that support better health and wellbeing.

“On Pine Ridge, our local producers and food-based entrepreneurs possess so much knowledge and innovation–and a deep commitment to bringing nourishing foods to as many community members as possible. At the same time, there’s an ever-increasing desire among our community members to have local, fresh, and traditionally Indigenous foods accessible here on our homeland, and to move away from the highly processed diets that have harmed us,” said Nick Hernandez, Makoce’s founder and president. “The Food Hub will become a central gathering space for local producers, chefs, educators, and community members to offer products, share ideas, and spark inspiration around building a collaborative, regenerative food system.”

On the Pine Ridge Reservation, colonial policies have led to a dire lack of infrastructure and severe impacts on community wellbeing. Today 95 percent of food on Pine Ridge is trucked in from outside the reservation and is highly processed, contributing to exploding rates of heart disease, diabetes, and more. Makoce is shifting that narrative through initiatives like the Food Hub–tapping into the strength of the community and its 2.7 million acre land base to develop a local food system that supports a thriving, self-sufficient Oglala Lakota nation.

The Food Hub Master Plan includes spaces for a commercial kitchen, coffee shop, deli, and meeting, co-working, and learning spaces, as well as sufficient food storage for locally farmed produce and meats. Outside the campus will include walking trails, gardens, and other spaces to encourage reconnecting with the natural world. The design team is utilizing the most sustainable, energy-efficient practices to care for the land while creating unique spaces to support operations, spark innovation, and celebrate in a shared space.

(Contact Nick Hernandez at nick@makoceag.org or 605-407-4744.)

The post Pine Ridge food hub master plan first appeared on Native Sun News Today.

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