Shaping pathways of “real world” systems change requires BSV to focus its activities on sectorial contexts that require urgent action and for which we have the capability to play a role in catalyzing change. We have identified the agri-food system in Canada as an ideal candidate for our work.
The agri-food system spans diverse supply chains, from meat and fish to dairy, eggs, crops and produce. Each supply chain involves a variety of stakeholders from farmers, processors, distributors, retailers and consumers that operate at local, provincial, national and even international levels. This system has major linkages with critical sustainability challenges:
BSV also has deep existing expertise in agri-food. Our scholars have worked in agri-food for many years, across multiple projects, and have developed important partnerships with organizations within and outside Canada.
For the next three years, the Centre will apply systems tools and approaches to analyse the systemic challenges and opportunities of the agri-food sector. As we understand the challenges and opportunities, we will bring a broad set of stakeholders together to innovate solutions. We aim to establish methodologies and a set of tools and approaches that will be subsequently applied to other systems and sectors, such as energy and the built environment.
If you are interested to know more about BSV's work in the agri-food sector, please contact sustainability@ivey.ca
Lighthouse Initiatives
To focus and direct our efforts, the Centre has developed four “lighthouse initiatives”. These lighthouse initiatives are designed to maximize impact on the agri-food system through our key levers of change and provide opportunities to engage and mobilize changemakers within the system.
These initiatives focus on two complementary system entry points: “bottom up” and “top down”. Our two bottom-up initiatives focus on engaging with the agri-food system at the operational, farm level, building on Ivey’s expertise in action research within real system actors and value chains, as well as our widely recognized leadership in entrepreneurship. These initiatives aim to help farmers, agronomists, and entrepreneurs to co-create new ways of farming and co-managing resources, leading to the organic institutionalization of sustainable agriculture:
Collective Action for Sustainable Agriculture Project
Canada plays a vital role in the agricultural sector. Farming has modernized to make food more affordable and accessible for a growing population, but its strong GDP contribution comes at a significant environmental cost. Accounting for nearly 10% of national greenhouse gas emissions, the agricultural industry must find a way to produce more sustainably while continuing to put affordable food on Canadian tables. Today, agriculture is subject to poor connectivity, market pressures, supply chain consolidation, and competition for resources. These factors coalesce to hinder circularity, diversity, and inclusivity in the industry, and practices that were once common, like land and resource co-management, have diminished among Canadian farmers. Our project aims to stimulate collective action at the county level in consultation with a diverse group of farmers and agronomists. We will connect unique perspectives to foster conversation and foment a shared vision of sustainability in the sector. Our program will utilize digital tools and in-person workshops to harness existing connectivity areas to drive the co-creation of new, sustainable ways of farming and co-managing resources across otherwise siloed communities.
Are you, or do you know, a farmer/agronomist who would like to work towards more sustainable and regenerative practices? Please reach out to Jury Gualandris to get involved.
Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Accelerator ("Regenerator") Initiative
In collaboration with the Morrissette Institute for Entrepreneurship, the Centre, with the leadership of Oana Branzei, will introduce a dedicated green stream within the Western Accelerator, dedicated to sustainable agri-food and bio-economy start-ups. This green stream "Regenerator" is an impact-driven program aimed at accelerating the growth of high-potential ventures. Through a 16-week intensive program, selected ventures receive hands-on mentorship and educational training from in-house experts and industrial partners. The program is designed to compress years of accumulated knowledge and learning into four months, enabling entrepreneurs to accelerate their ventures' life cycles. These ventures will help promote a just transition to net zero and a regenerative, circular economy through sustainable finance and offer real-time examples of entrepreneurship and innovation aligned with the 2030 agenda and 2050 plans.
These direct interventions will be complemented by two top-down initiatives that engage with the “big picture” of the agri-food system, leveraging Ivey’s expertise in systems thinking to broker critical conversations with influential system stakeholders, especially those operating downstream (processors, retailers) and providing capital (regulators, investors), with the ultimate goal to de-risk the climate transition for farmers:
System Transformation Pathways Initiative
The Systems Transformation Pathway Initiative will convene key Canadian agri-food system stakeholders to characterize a shared vision of the future agri-food system and then clarify critical pathways (e.g., technology, sourcing and production paradigms, financial models) and actions that can accelerate transformation towards this ideal future.
Interested in learning more or getting involved? Contact Carly MacArthur.
Future of Agri-food Event Series
The Future of Agri-food Event Series is convening key Canadian thought leaders to explore Canada’s role in the future of the agri-food system, and the key opportunities and challenges facing the sector. The series is jointly convened by the Ivey Centre for Building Sustainable Value, Ivey Academy, and the Institute for Sustainable Finance. The primary goal is to build awareness in key networks (executive leaders in business and finance) concerning key opportunities and challenges in agri-food for Canada, especially the critical issues associated with a just climate transition.
Featured Report
ADVANCING
REGENERATIVE
AGRICULTURE
IN CANADA:
Barriers, Enablers, and
Recommendations
Project Spotlights
The future of agri-food: Canada's leadership opportunity
A panel of industry experts explore the large-scale opportunity for Canada to be a leader in agri-food, covering facets such as sustainability, technological innovation, and competition within a global market.
Hard talks yield big results for agri-food researchers at BSV Colloquium
In September 2023, the BSV Centre convened a multi-stakeholder roundtable on collective action for a resilient and just agricultural system. Hear about the conversations that transpired when diverse stakeholders came together.
The unexpected reason$ farmers are planting crops under solar panels
Research from Professor Joshua Pearce explains agrivolataic farming and how the innovation can help meet Canada’s food and energy needs and reduce its fossil fuel reliance and greenhouse gas emissions in the future.
Ivey co-organizer of first Canadian Circular Economy Summit
The first Circular Economy Summit, which sold out six weeks in advance, allowed over 400 leaders from across Canada to come together in Toronto to collaborate on efforts and activities and develop an action agenda for the circular economy.
Collaborative innovation for healthy Canadian soil
In Canada, only about 7% of land mass is suitable for agriculture. This is why Innovation North is deploying their Compass tool to engage stakeholders of all types in improving Ontario's soil health. A collaboration with the University of Guelph resulted in a full-day soil health workshop.
Regenerative agriculture: transforming farming toward sustainability
Regenerative agriculture is a sustainable approach to farming that focuses on greater harmony between agricultural production, ecosystems, and the climate. An Ivey research project led by Dr. Jury Gualandris – Towards a Climate-Smart Food System – is exploring how Canada can more widely adopt regenerative agriculture.
Canadian circular supply networks in the agri-food sector
A groundbreaking research project led by the Centre for Building Sustainable Value’s Circular Economy Lab is exploring the formation of ‘circular clusters’ (mini circular supply networks) and their potential to reduce food waste and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.