Giving Compass' Take:

• Food Tank reports on a company called 7 Generations that are bringing indoor vertical farms to Native communities across the US to help improve access to healthier foods.

• There is also a youth development aspect to this AgTech initiative, with STEM learning for K-12 students. It's a holistic approach to health outreach that encompasses the body and mind. How can others emulate? 

• Here's more on how to expand opportunities for Native youth through philanthropy. 

7 Generations, a Washington State-based AgTech farm development and food distribution company is introducing indoor vertical farms to Native communities across the United States. The company’s big vision is to transform the health of Native communities by bringing AgTech education and indoor vertical farms into Native American classrooms. The initiative consists of a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) curriculum for K-12 students, a Grow Healthy Food Road Tour, and a business incubator indoor vertical farm. The goal of the initiative is to help Native communities achieve local food security, energy independence, improve wellness, and increase economic development, with a focus on youth. “The Native youth AgTech initiative takes a culturally correct, systems approach in addressing three pressing needs in Indian country related to — Food, Energy, Jobs,” Ted Treanor, Co-Founder of 7 Generations, says.

Native American reservations often don’t have access to healthful, nutritious, and affordable food options. American Indian and Alaskan Native tribal members also face increased rates of poverty, suicide, diabetes, and other chronic diseases, as well as chronic unemployment, low graduation rates, water shortages, and the lowest income of any ethnic group in the U.S. Native youth are particularly vulnerable in facing these challenges, as well as economic opportunity and access to the necessary resources to create thriving food and agriculture businesses.

Read more about vertical farming and the health of native communities by Morgan Murphy at Food Tank.