YINDJIBARNDI ENERGY CORPORATION SUPPORTS FOOD PROJECT IN ROEBOURNE
Roebourne Elders and community members gathered in Roebourne yesterday to celebrate a new agreement between the Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC) and Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Limited (NYFL). Credit: Sudarshan Paudel.
BY MARION CHEEDY, ASAD KHAN, AND GERARD MAZZA
A renewable energy company joint-owned by the Pilbara’s Yindjibarndi people will support Ieramagadu/Roebourne residents to grow food and vegetables locally.
The project is part of a new partnership between the Yindjibarndi Energy Corporation (YEC) and the Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation Limited (NYFL).
YEC will fund equipment for a small-scale food-growing facility to supply NYFL’s Ieramagadu Store.
The two organisations signed a Memorandum of Understanding to work together on activities that benefit the local community.
Ngarluma Elder Violet Samson said: “We want to grow vegetables and fruit here in community. Us Elders love to grow a feed. It’s good for the mungurla [children] to get their hands dirty!”
“We’re grateful for YEC’s contribution, allowing us to support more people in more ways. We’ll
be looking to get the small-scale food growing facility going this year”.
NYFL CEO Sean-Paul Stephens said the community has guided the project.
“The way these programs work, and the reason they’re successful, is because they’re owned and led by Elders,” he said.
“Elders design it and instruct us, and my job is to listen the community, to the Elders. They have the vision and then my job is to execute that.”
YEC CEO Craig Ricato said this is only the beginning of the partnership.
“I’d love to see a really close relationship over time, to support other community activities and endeavours,” he said. “There’s been things mentioned like mentoring programs for young people, supporting people getting credentials.
“For us, we’re very very keen for the young people coming through who are interested in working in the renewable energy space, whether that’s construction or operation, we’d love to actually help develop programs that would lead people to employment outcomes.”
YEC is a partnership between the Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation and renewables company ACEN.
YEC was formed last year to develop, solar, wind, and battery storage projects on Yindjibarndi ngurra.
Mr Ricato said progress on the developments was underway.
”We’ve now defined our first two project areas, and we’ve taken those two potential project areas back to the board of Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporation, and the leadership has signed off on those locations as being appropriate,” he said.
We’ve started undertaking cultural heritage surveys. We’ve started undertaking flora and fauna studies. On each of those activities, we’ve actually had Yindjibarndi people who have accompanied us on the whole journey.
“We’ve progressed our tenure applications with government and we’ve got good government support. They’re very very supportive of what Yindjibarndi are seeking to do.”
Listen to the full interview with YEC CEO Craig Ricato: