Canadian agriculture is a cornerstone of our national and global economy. While modernization has made food more affordable and accessible, it has also imposed significant environmental costs. According to Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, collective action is essential to co-develop new sustainable agriculture principles that guide the work of farmers; collaboration among farmers is thus crucial for developing sustainable agriculture practices tailored to specific soils and climatic conditions.
Ongoing research indicates there is little knowledge and resource sharing across farming silos (i.e. crop, livestock, vegetables, etc.) and a lack of clearly defined, broadly accepted principles and protocols of sustainable or regenerative farming. Such knowledge and standardization, achieved through our project, could boost ecological and economic performance within and across farms in the same county.
Introducing our Collective Action Program (CAP)
The main goal of the Collective Action Project is to establish a regional community of practice that catalyzes sustainable, regenerative agriculture at the county level through a series of curated workshops and social gatherings; these events led by an expert facilitator from the agricultural community, will take participants through an iterative pathway development process including understanding the history and current state of agriculture within a county, co-developing shared visions, and ideating on solutions. The emergent community of practice will in turn enable peer-driven co-creation, experimentation, and institutionalization of new ways of farming and creating a way of co-managing resources between farmers.
Our interdisciplinary project team is led by Jury Gualandris and co-led by Ivey researchers Diane-Laure Arjaliès, Zoe Kinias, Isam Faik, Sergio Lazzarini, and Laurel Steinfield, as well as Western Biology scientists Raymond Thomas, Vera Tai, and Robert Buchkowski. This initiative was developed in collaboration with Ontario Soil Network and Transition Accelerator and strategic partners including OMAFRA, Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario, and many others: together we will work to drive sustainable, regenerative agriculture in Middlesex County.
Are you a farmer or agronomist, or do you know one who is passionate about regenerative agriculture?
Farmers joining our program will contribute to transformational change at three levels:
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On Your Farm: Engage with fellow farmers, agronomists, and a team of biology and business experts to improve how your activities regenerate nature and generate profits. Some of the participants will be offered in-depth soil analysis and economic assessment.
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Within the Community of Practice: Share experiences with farmers and agronomists from various sectors and traditions, fostering valuable relationships and developing shared principles and protocols of regenerative agriculture. Access to a growing local group of farmers to workshop ideas and offer to share equipment, do pasture walks, broker financing opportunities, learn new technologies etc.
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Region-Wide Impact: Address regional challenges and risks related to the sustainability transition by helping other farmers in the region to explore resource-sharing opportunities (e.g., how sharing diverse assets and integrate operations across farms can bring economic savings and ecological benefits), expand access to financial capital and new revenue streams (e.g., monetize the positive impact farmers have or could have on local eco-systems), and shape fruitful relationships with processors and retailers.
Get Involved
Join us on this transformative journey to build a thriving regional farming community. Reach out to us at sustainability@ivey.ca or call +1 519 868 3885. Our CAP will begin right after the harvesting season in late October or early November 2024.
Our team is hiring!
We are looking to onboard one Post-Doctoral Fellow and one experienced Project Manager to join our researchers and partners in achieving the project’s many exciting goals. Postings will appear below as they become available:
Post-Doctoral Fellow – Application instructions (now open)
Project Manager – Application link (now open)