Red Rock Indian Band (RRIB) will use federal funding announced on June 18 to determine the viability of setting up a wild rice enterprise in the community.
Located in northwestern Ontario, the community is among 16 Indigenous recipients from across Canada to share in $4 million from the Ministry of Agriculture and Agri-Food.
Coming through the Indigenous Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative, RRIB's share is $19,925.
According to RRIB, the study will assess product demand, market conditions, potential partnerships, risks, and probability of success for a cultivation and processing operation in the community.
The five-year Indigenous Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative aims to boost Indigenous participation in economic growth. Program funding supports Indigenous producers, communities, and organizations that are ready to launch agriculture and food systems projects and others who want to build their capacity to participate in the sector.
