Makoce Agriculture Development is a community-based, Lakota-led nonprofit organization on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.  Makoce, in the Lakota language, means “homelands” and their mission is to develop Indigenous agriculture and food systems designed to regenerate equitable healthy communities, economies and environment.  Makoce envisions a local food system of entrepreneurs who look to traditional Indigenous knowledge of land and animal stewardship as well as nutrition and health. With this knowledge, a network of Indigenous educators, advocates, farmers, chefs, and business professionals will expand knowledge, grow food, and create products. This system stimulates a market for healthy products both locally and regionally. This system also fosters a growing network of partners through its programs, classes, conferences, and policy work.

Hoxie Collective and Substance Architecture led a diverse team of professionals to help Makoce develop 23 acres of tribal trust land as a Food Systems District.  This vision plan focuses primarily on the Food Systems District as the physical commercial space to build the food system network.  The District includes a Food Systems Institute that will be the home for Makoce’s educational courses, meetings, and collaboration opportunities, including producer training and history of Indigenous foods.  The site also includes a 4- acre regenerative production farm as the first educational farm land on Pine Ridge Reservation as well as processing and storage facilities to support local producers.