Recipient Organization
HASKELL INDIAN NATIONS UNIVERSITY
155 INDIAN AVE.
LAWRENCE,KS 66046
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
This project continues and expands on the work of a NIFA-funded project designed to enhance existing gardening initiatives on one local Native American reservation, and provide agriculture science education to Native American students at Haskell Indian Nations University and within the tribal community.The primary research objective of this project is to establish the benefits and costs of irrigation for small scale vegetable production on the Kickapoo reservation in northeast Kansas. The tribe operates their own water utility from a fragile surface water source, and during past droughts has instituted a broad ban on outdoor water use. This project will determine the benefit: cost ratio of various levels of supplemental irrigation, which may influence tribal policy to prioritize irrigation for food crops over such uses as lawn watering and car washing.The proposed irrigation levels will be designated as High, where watering three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) when rainfall has not exceeded ¼ inch since the previous irrigation. The Medium irrigation level will water just once per week, when total rainfall the previous week does not exceed ¼ inch. The Control treatment will not receive any supplemental water after the initial 2-week establishment period.A secondary objective will be to include the Kickapoo community garden and Haskell Indian Nations University in the Kansas State University Master Gardener vegetable trials. This multi-locational trial has been conducted for over 10 years. Through experiential learning during this project, Haskell students and Kickapoo high school students will be employed to care for the gardens and to collect research data on the vegetable cultivar's performance. The students will learn basic research procedures, yield data collection techniques and basic analysis.This project will also link with an existing Kickapoo community health initiative to promote the value of gardening as a healthful activity and source of nutritious, safe and delicious food. A new high tunnel will be built as part of the Kickapoo community health initiative, and advice and assistance will be provided by the project directors of this initiative. Haskell's experiences operating their own small greenhouse, along with those more complex and extensive at K-State will be very instructional.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
The primary short-term research objective of this project is to establish the benefits and costs of several irrigation levels for small-scale vegetable production on the Kickapoo reservation in northeast Kansas. Quantities of water used in the High, Medium and Control irrigation levels will be documented, along with crop yields, so that benefit: cost ratios can be calculated.A secondary objective will be to add 2 sites to the KSU Master Gardener Vegetable Trials, including the Kickapoo community garden and the Haskell Indian Nations University research garden. Research capacity will be enhanced at Haskell, particularly as it relates to field agricultural research, as this is not an area of expertise with current faculty. Haskell students and Kickapoo high school students will be employed to care for the gardens and to collect research data on the vegetable cultivars' performance. With this project focusing on experiential learning, the students will become engaged with agricultural field production techniques, basic research procedures, yield data collection techniques and preliminary data analysis.
Project Methods
Gardening/irrigation project activitiesThe primary research objective of this project is to establish the benefits and costs of irrigation for small-scale vegetable production on the Kickapoo reservation in northeast Kansas. The tribe operates their own water utility from a fragile surface water source, and during past droughts has instituted a broad ban on outdoor water use. This project will determine the benefit: cost ratio of various levels of supplemental irrigation, which may influence tribal policy to prioritize irrigation for food crops over such uses as lawn watering and car washing.Garden plots will be assigned irrigation levels designated as High, Medium, and Control. High irrigation will be watering three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) when rainfall does not exceed ¼ inch since the previous irrigation. The Medium irrigation level will be watering just once per week, when total rainfall the previous week does not exceed ¼ inch. The Control treatment will not receive any supplemental water after the initial 2-week establishment period.Produce will be evaluated for quantity and quality over the course of the growing season at each of the irrigation levels. There will be three evaluations, one near the beginning, one during the middle, and one near the end of the growing season.Data will be analyzed using an appropriate statistical software package.Social science activitiesThrough literature search and personal interviews, tie this use of fresh garden produce to Kickapoo community health initiatives to address things like diabetes. Using this project's results, come up with ideas to persuade tribal members to become more engaged on growing much of their own vegetables, particularly theyounger generations.Through a literature search, compile and summarize the water conservation activities of other tribes.Report the results of a literature search on Tribal food and/or water sovereignty.Identify water-using land uses on the KTiK reservation.Evaluate and report on KTiK food sovereignty/water issues in relation to other resource issues.Project data will be analyzed and interpreted in the following ways:(a) Given the fragile water situation, which vegetable varieties will produce the greatest output, balanced by ease of maintenance and disease resistance; (b) Will experimental learning opportunities in agricultural science afforded to Haskell students and Kickapoo youth by this project, result in students continuing in agriculture science in graduate school or post-baccalaureate employment; (c) Can gardener success be increased through careful choice of vegetable varieties and can that success lead to commitment to continue gardening into the future; and (d) Will the stabilization of the gardening program on the Kickapoo achieve greater food sovereignty as one method of reclaiming heritage, health and holistic welfare.