Harper Government commits to increasing food security through research funding

Apr 08, 2013

Second-phase of the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund launched

Food security is a buzz word in the agricultural industry right now with farmers, industry groups and governments’ alike taking up the challenge of feeding a growing population, and what that means for advancing global food security. Lois Brown, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of International Cooperation, the Honourable Julian Fantino, announced on Friday [April, 5] at the University of Guelph, an investment of $62.5 million over the next five-years for phase-two of the Canadian International Food Security Research Fund (CIFSRF).

"The Harper Government is committed to increasing food security to those most in need as part of Canada's effective international assistance through investing in scientific research and innovation," said Parliamentary Secretary Brown. "Canadian universities, businesses, and NGOs have expertise that they can share with the world. Together, we can use innovation to put an end to global hunger."

Phase-one of the research was led by a team of researchers at the University of Guelph which focused on developing solutions for India and Sri Lanka. The initiative was a success, which led to the development of an innovative packaging system that reduces post-harvest loses in mangoes, an important crop in South Asia. The research-technology not only benefits farmers in developing countries, but could also be beneficial to Canadian tender-fruit farmers. Phase-two will be open to African countries and will include an element of supporting women who are deemed the most food insecure and vulnerable. The research will likely address some of the key priorities facing subsistence farmers.

The CIFSRF began in 2009, and is now supporting 19 projects aimed at bringing together some of Canada’s best researchers with 26 developing-country organizations and stakeholders to work towards developing solutions to enhance the conditions to forge a path for global food security. The CIFSRF is a joint partnership between the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The three research priorities of CIFSRF include: sustainable agricultural development, research and development, and food assistance and nutrition.

Video: Cleaning Sheep Barns & Setting Up Chutes

Indoor sheep farming in winter at pre-lambing time requires that, at Ewetopia Farms, we need to clean out the barns and manure in order to keep the sheep pens clean, dry and fresh for the pregnant ewes to stay healthy while indoors in confinement. In today’s vlog, we put fresh bedding into all of the barns and we remove manure from the first groups of ewes due to lamb so that they are all ready for lambs being born in the next few days. Also, in preparation for lambing, we moved one of the sorting chutes to the Coveralls with the replacement ewe lambs. This allows us to do sorting and vaccines more easily with them while the barnyard is snow covered and hard to move sheep safely around in. Additionally, it frees up space for the second groups of pregnant ewes where the chute was initially.