Canada’s Innovation Programming for Increased

Collaboration

6th OECD Food Chain Analysis Network: Public-Private Partnerships for Agricultural Innovation

Paris, France October 13-14, 2014

The Canadian agricultural sector has a good foundation for collaboration

Successful collaboration is key to a well-functioning agricultural innovation system:

– Stimulates creativity

– Leverages resources

– Reduces costs

– Provides access to different sources of High Quality People (HQP)

– Serves as an effective knowledge transfer vehicle

– Brings together several disciplines to address complex issues – no one player can do it all

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)’s scientists work with a variety of agricultural

research parties, in Canada and globally, enabling them to participate in, monitor and learn

form cutting-edge work across disciplines

Both virtual and physical “clusters” or networks have been established by a number of

sectors or regions (e.g. Richardson Centre for Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals, Canola

Cluster and Ontario Food Cluster) to meet industry-driven needs

Federal and provincial governments collaborate with agricultural colleges and universities,

private companies as well as other countries.

AAFC approach to research, development and technology transfer

Objective is to improve the agricultural sector’s access to science through

partnerships to reshape our collective approach to Research, Development and

Technology Transfer (RDT)

AAFC focuses on:

• spanning the full innovation continuum to provide seamless services from research and

development to technology transfer;

• ensuring we have the capacity to integrate science and technology transfer to address

the challenges and opportunities of producers and processors; and

• stakeholder engagement: continue building on local and regional relationships with the

science, academic and business communities

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Sector is organized along commodity lines…

Forage and Beef Cereals and Pulses Oilseeds

Horticulture Agri-Food Bioproducts

Dairy, Swine, Poultry

and Alternative

Livestock

Agro-Ecosystem

Productivity and

Health

Biodiversity and

Bioresources

Innovation programming is evolving to foster collaboration and enable greater industry leadership

Mid-90’s - Matching Investment Initiative (MII) – first government/industry jointly

funded collaborative research initiatives

2002-2008 – Agricultural Policy Framework – MII complemented with

programming to support development of sector strategies

2008-2013 – Growing Forward – mobilized sector strategies by providing

funding for sector-led research and more complex collaborations (Developing

Innovative Agri-Products (DIAP) and Clusters)

2013-2018 – Growing Forward 2 – accelerating pace of innovation and

fostering greater industry leadership by increasing investment in sector-led

research and complex collaborations

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Designed to accelerate the pace of innovation by supporting research and development

activities and facilitating the demonstration, commercialization and/or adoption of

innovative products, technologies, processes, practices and services

$698 million initiative that continues, refocuses and/or expands programming that was

available under Growing Forward, as well as bringing together the pre-

commercialization and commercialization stages of innovation:

– $468 million available for funding projects based on applications from industry

– Remaining funds go towards AAFC-led research, development and knowledge transfer

activities, as well as program administration, that complement industry-directed initiatives

Three Streams

– Research Accelerating Innovation

– Industry-led Research and Development

– Enabling Commercialization and Adoption

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Growing Forward 2: AgriInnovation Program

Provide necessary capacity and support to industry-led science and technology projects

to bridge the gap between ideas and discoveries and products in the marketplace

Enable key industry-led agricultural organizations to mobilize a critical mass of scientific

and technical resources to enhance profitability and competitiveness of their sector

Support knowledge transfer of innovative ideas, tools and practices through regionally

relevant and commodity specific approaches that are essential in moving scientific

knowledge into the hands of its intended users, farms and firms

Support in the form of collaborative assistance given by AAFC research scientists and

experts for knowledge transfer

The Industry-led Research and Development portion provides AAFC support and/or

non-repayable contribution funding for two types of projects:

– Agri-Science Projects

– Agri-Science Clusters

Growing Forward 2: AgriInnovation Program Industry-led Research and Development

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Agri-Science Projects

Agri-Science Projects Examples Research Activities

British Columbia Tree Fruit Industry Development of new apple and sweet cherry varieties, as well as improving

disease and pest management practices

Eastern Canada Oilseeds

Development Alliance (ECODA)

Further enhancing the competitiveness of the canola and soybean industries in

Eastern Canada

SaskCanola Blackleg and sclerotinia disease resistance

Soy 20/20 Development of market-ready varieties of Camelina sativa and to help increase

the value of the oil for industrial use.

Mustard 21 Canada Development of new and higher yielding varieties of condiment mustard through

traditional and molecular breeding applications, as well as industrial mustard for

use in the emerging biofuel sector.

Ontario Greenhouse Vegetable

Growers

Development of new products and practices: improvements to yield and produce

quality, as well as to enhance the environmentally sustainable practices of

greenhouse production

Mazza Innovation Ltd. Development and commercialization of innovative extraction technologies that

recover high value molecular components from plants

$468 million available for funding projects based on applications from

industry

A single research project or a smaller set of projects that may be national,

regional or local in scope

Agri-Science Clusters

$283 million for R&D to enable key industry-led agricultural organizations to mobilize a critical

mass of scientific and technical resources in industry, academia and government

National in scope and address several themes that are priorities to the industry under single

application

Commodity based, or may be horizontal where it addresses cross-cutting issues that are of

interest to more than one commodity

Review Process

Application assessment by

AAFC Program Officers

Technical reviews by AAFC

and other experts, if required

Director General Innovation

Committee Recommendation

AAFC starts working

with applicants Agreements are put in

place

Minister

Concurrence

Minister Non

Concurrence

Agri-Science Clusters by Commodity

Sector Research Activities

Barley A new research cluster to help increase demand for Canadian barley

Canola Canola oil and meal nutrition and production (Canola Council)

Pulse Development of new varieties, improved agronomic practices, respond to consumer demand for healthier foods and contribute to

potential health claims linked to pulse consumption

Beef Beef quality and safety, animal health and welfare, feed production and utilization, and environmental sustainability

Field Crops Development of new corn, soybean, barley and oat varieties, improved agronomic practices, respond to consumer demand for

healthier foods and help producers compete in global markets

Dairy Sustainable milk production, dairy genetics and genomics, and human nutrition and health

Grains Development of higher-yielding wheat varieties with enhanced disease and insect resistance; and, adapting varieties for different

regions

Poultry Development of new vaccines to reduce the environmental footprint of poultry farms and to provide poultry farmers access to

high-calibre training opportunities

Horticulture Reduction of crop input costs while improving marketable yield and margins for apple and potato growers

Swine Help the sector keep pace with changing consumer demands, enhance disease resilience and continue focusing on animal

welfare measures

Organics Help the sector respond to market demand and capture new opportunities

Bioindustrial Help bridge the gap between research and market-ready products by connecting technology development projects from across

Canada

Agri-Science Cluster Example: Pulses

Co-Recipient Names: Pulse Canada and Saskatchewan Pulse Growers

Project Cost:

– AAFC Funding up to $13.3M (includes $6.5M for AAFC research)

– Industry Share of $5.1M from 8 industry partners

Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2018

Research Objectives:

– Genetic Improvement and Maximizing Genetic Gain in Pulse Crops

– Improved Agronomic Practice

– Pulse Processing Knowledge Building for Food Applications

– Pulse Consumption Effects on Human Health Outcomes

19 Research Activities

Research Participants:

– 11 AAFC research labs in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario

– 1 provincial research facility in Alberta

– 4 university labs in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario

Agri-Science Cluster Example: Horticulture

Recipient Name: Canadian Horticultural Council

Project Cost:

– AAFC funding up to $6.8M (includes $1.2M for AAFC research)

– Industry share of $2.8M

Estimated Completion Date: March 31, 2018

Research Objectives:

– Post-harvest management and optimization of apples

– Weather based prediction models

– Variety evaluation

– Pest and disease management in potatoes

10 Research Activities

Research Participants:

– AAFC research labs in British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Quebec and Prince Edward Island

– Provincial research facilities in Alberta and Ontario

– Private research facilities in Alberta, Manitoba, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island

– University labs in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario

Looking ahead

Recognize the need for ongoing engagement to establish and adjust RDT activities in

relation to government and industry priorities

Analyse best practices of public-private partnership models

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Contact Information:

Paula Negraes

Senior Policy Analyst, Innovation

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Paula.Negraes@agr.gc.ca