UN food summit an opportunity for Canadian agricultural leadership at home and abroad

In approximately six months, world leaders will meet at the United Nations Food Systems Summit. Whether the summit takes place on Zoom, or in person in New York, our representatives will share Canadian insights, help write policy, and set goals for the world’s food systems. As Canada crafts its position, what should we consider? What goals should we set for ourselves? It’s an exciting time to been involved in agriculture and food. Artificial intelligence and digital disruption seem poised to change everything. From connected farms, which allow each acre and each animal be treated individually, to e-commerce that can empower local businesses, the field is changing rapidly. Cellular agriculture may shift production from the farm to the bioreactor. Urban gardens, vertical farms, and greenhouses suggest year-round fresh local food is just around the corner. COVID-19 has governments thinking about food autonomy. Demand is growing. This is also a moment of grave concern. Globally, our food system emits one-quarter of the world’s greenhouse gases. Food systems are the world’s largest contributor to water pollution and declining biodiversity. There is a public health crisis of preventable diseases linked with diabetes and obesity. Inequality, climate change, and political strife mean that hunger is on the rise. Canada is well-positioned to take a leadership role at the UN summit. We are one of the world’s top food exporters. We have a commitment to multiculturalism, democracy, and social fairness that is an envy of others. Canadian food producers have a history of innovation that will only increase as the face of farming becomes more diverse, younger, and more educated. Canada should use the Food Systems Summit to set our own global goals. We could double down on our commitments to reduce hunger, establish programs to help our farming sector become a net carbon sink, and build the data infrastructure to measure progress and demonstrate our food and agricultural sector’s commitment to nutrition, sustainability and equity. But where might we start? Over the last year, we, the authors, have spoken with leaders from across the “farm-to-fork” continuum. We did this under the auspices of the “Growing Stronger” project that sought to learn lessons from the pandemic for Canada’s food system. Out of these interactions, we heard themes we believe offer a path forward. First, we should critically explore ways to put our own house in order. Reducing hunger is not just about supporting other countries. Food insecurity is a major problem at home and far too many Canadians cannot access a healthy diet. Reducing food insecurity demands we tackle poverty, inequality, and our relationships with Indigenous communities. This requires everyone in authority to both engage and empower equity-seeking voices. A second approach could be to explore and celebrate the value that local and global food systems bring to Canadians. For true resiliency, and to ensure people have access to the food of their choice, Canadians need both local and global supply chains to be vibrant. In our conversations, we heard tremendous respect for the global systems that kept grocery store shelves filled in 2020. We also heard enthusiasm for enhancing local food systems by investing in community supported programs, as well as high-tech innovations such as vertical farming. Local and global supply chains have different values and drivers so in all likelihood we need them both. Third, stakeholders told us that policy can catalyze environmental improvements. Governments around the world invest heavily in agriculture so there is an opportunity to use public funds to create “eco-fiscal incentives,” such as carbon-pricing schemes that reward farmers who drive environmental goals. Fourth, we can continue to embrace collaborative leadership. Transforming the food system will involve reaching out to the value-chains, civil society, Indigenous communities, and academics. The federal government’s Food Policy vision of “everyone at the table” is an important step, as is the creation of the Canadian Food Policy Advisory Council. In the coming weeks and months, Canada’s official position for the UN summit will be developed. We believe that now is the time for Canada, and Canada’s agri-food sector, to display its talents and skills to take a global leadership position in this important dialogue. We hope these insights will encourage the conversation. Evan Fraser is director of Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. Deb Stark is a former deputy minister of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs. The Hill Times

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UN food summit an opportunity for Canadian agricultural leadership at home and abroad

There are four key areas where Canada can help push agriculture to a more equitable and sustainable path.

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