The Lakota Lands Recovery Project began in 2003 to support Tribes and Individual American Indians in South Dakota to utilize their land base. Currently, of all the farms and ranches on South Dakota Reservations, less than 35% are operated by American Indians. The LLRP is working to reverse this statistic by providing grants to support Native land-based enterprises, providing technical support and outreach to Tribes and their members, educating the public and advocating for policy change.
Currently, of all the farms and ranches on South Dakota Reservations less than 35% are operated by American Indians. This has had a dramatic impact on the ability of South Dakota Tribes and Individual American Indians to benefit from their extensive natural resources economically or to address the high rates of food insecurity. According to the USDA, in 2012, over $747 million dollars was generated through agriculture on SD Reservations yet less than 16% of that income went to American Indians.
The Lakota Lands Recover project is helping Tribes and individual American Indians utlize their land base by: - working as allies with new and existing Native owned land-based enterprises; - providing technical support and training to Tribes and Individuals to navigate the maze of Federal red tape. - developing materials for education and outreach including curricula, trainings, maps, reports, etc. - engaging in public education and advocacy to change policy to support Native Ag.
We believe the most important strategy for transforming poverty and hunger in Indian Country is dismantling the colonial land-use and land-tenure system that was imposed through Federal policies over the last 150 years. Doing so will enable Tribes and their membership to fully benefit from their natural resources, ehanching both cultural and economic self-determination while stregthening Tribal sovereignty. .
