Regional District of Central Okanagan Agricultural Strategy

(2024 - 2025)

Upland was contracted in collaboration with Urban Food Strategies to update the Regional District of Central Okanagan’s (RDCO) Regional Agricultural Strategy. The RDCO’s original Agricultural Plan was established in 2005. The necessity to update the plan emerged as a priority within the Regional Growth Strategy Priority Projects Plan in 2017. Phase 1 culminated with the completion of the Central Okanagan Agricultural Background Report in winter 2022. Phase 2 commenced in October 2024 and set out to update the Regional Agricultural Strategy (RAS).

The purpose of the RAS is to provide a regional and comprehensive approach to preserving and protecting the agricultural land base to support the long-term viability of agriculture in the Central Okanagan. The RAS identified 5 priority areas:

1. Develop a regional strategy to protect agricultural land
2. Promote resilience and economic viability of farming
3. Encourage economically, environmentally, and socially beneficial agricultural practices
4. Promote food security, equity, health and wellbeing of all residents and;
5. Develop regional soil management policy

The RAS includes a set of recommendations and a detailed plan to ensure a smooth transition into implementation.