INDIGENOUS ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING FACILITATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING SERVICES AND INDIGENOUS ENGAGEMENT ON FOOD SECURITY

The BC Ministry of Agriculture and Food (“the Ministry”) is committed to working with Indigenous partners to advance meaningful reconciliation in the food and agriculture sector and support Indigenous peoples’ self-identified priorities to strengthen Indigenous food systems and Indigenous food sovereignty, increase equitable participation and economic opportunity, and increase food security and food system resilience.  
Since 2021, the Ministry has been working with the members of the B.C. Indigenous Advisory Council on Agriculture and Food (IACAF, or “the Advisory Council”) to support Indigenous peoples’ agriculture and food economies, food security and food sovereignty objectives and advance the implementation of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action within the Ministry’s mandate. IACAF is identified as a Ministry partner in Goal 4.48 of the Declaration Act Action Plan.
Building food security, particularly in the context of emergencies, is a priority for all British Columbians. Indigenous peoples living in the province have distinct perspectives, lived experiences, vulnerabilities to food insecurity, and priorities for increasing food security. Indigenous groups and advisory tables working with the Province have frequently expressed Indigenous food sovereignty as a top priority. The Ministry is developing an Emergency Preparedness and Food Security Strategy (EPFSS) in coordination with the Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness and is committed to ensuring Indigenous peoples’ concerns, experiences, approaches and visions are meaningfully incorporated from the outset.
The Province is seeking a qualified Proponent to support dialogue and cooperation between the Ministry and Indigenous peoples on priority issues related with Indigenous food systems and the food and agriculture sector. This opportunity consists of two components:

1. Component 1: Supporting the work IACAF’s Secretariat – through:
   1. Component 1A: IACAF Meeting Coordination and Facilitation – Organizing and facilitating action-oriented Advisory Council meetings to advance work towards IACAF's priority action areas; and,
   2. Component 1B: IACAF Strategic Planning – Coordinating a strategic-planning process to renew IACAF’s strategic plan through co-development between IACAF and the Ministry; and,  
2. Component 2: EPFSS Indigenous Engagement Services – Supporting the development of the EPFSS through the coordination and facilitation of focused engagement with Indigenous groups and the production of a What We Heard Report.