Jason Cardinal visits the bees in the Flying Dust Market Garden (Flying Dust Market Garden Photo)

By Julia Lovett-Squires

G20 Youth

Flying Dust Market Garden represented in G20 Summit for youth entrepreneurs

Jun 13, 2024 | 12:00 PM

As the leaders of the G20 prepare for an upcoming summit in Rio de Janeiro later this year, another summit is kicking off this week in Brazil – but this time for the youth entrepreneurs alliance and delegates from every province in the country have begun their work in Goiania.

Among the four delegates from Saskatchewan is Jason Cardinal of Flying Dust First Nation who runs Flying Dust Market Garden – a 170-acre farm – has contributed to his community by developing healthy food sources.

“We mainly grow potato crops and we also have honeybees as well,” he said of the non-profit community owned business.

“We also grow a mixture of different vegetables,” he added of the business that also employs community members and summer students.

According to a Futurpreneur release, Cardinal has joined over 40 others for the summit that runs from Wednesday to Friday and their work will be comprised of “a list of recommendations on global entrepreneurship policy” which will be presented during the official G20 summit later this year.

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Through the Youth Employment Skills Program, the garden was able to hire five students who are community youth that are interested in a career in agriculture along with a University of Saskatchewan student who is working with the garden’s team on a food development program in Saskatoon.

“We employ roughly 24 people from the community and during our seasonal high, we can get up to 32 people,” added Cardinal, noting there is also a diverse age group.

He explained that agriculture has been a part of the Flying Dust community since the beginning and the produce grown is shared among the residents along with helping those in need and donating to food banks.

To become a delegate for the summit – this year themed – “Connecting Cultures, Fostering Business: Building a just world and a sustainable planet,” Cardinal had to go through an application process.

“I’ve been doing a lot of public engagement this past year,” he said, noting it was at one of these speaking events that someone suggested he apply.

“It seemed pretty awesome, an opportunity to explore different economic development options in different countries and trade and export,” he said.

“I was very surprised to hear back that I was accepted (of) the three in Saskatchewan.”

As part of the itinerary, the delegates will be able to experience cultural visits, public engagement and team building.

“We visit different markets, we also get to go to the university here as well as visit the chamber of commerce in Brazil and Canada,” he said.

The trip, now in its final day, delegates had the option to choose a different city to end in. Cardinal chose to spend it in Rio de Janeiro.

“There’s some things that interested me in Rio, like the young entrepreneurship and the agricultural opportunities there and I also really want to go see the Christ the Redeemer,” he said of the famed art deco statue.

“I was looking…to take that hike up there and snap a selfie up there.”

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julia.lovettsquires@pattisonmedia.com

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