When it comes to food, we like to think of Canada as a land of plenty, but our growing season is short, so despite abundant fresh water and vast expanses of arable land, as much as 80 per cent of our fresh produce is imported. Our national food supply is susceptible to major systems disruptions, and in a climate-changing world, this is a critical moment for global food vulnerability. Canada is poised to take a leadership role in the future of food: with sustainability and resiliency top-of-mind, how can we feed all Canadians?
The Homegrown Innovation Challenge, funded and delivered by the Weston Family Foundation, is working to answer this question by planting the seeds of possibility. The applicants will address the interconnected challenges related to growing berries out-of- season, and catalyze a range of solutions relevant to a broad array of fruit and vegetable crops in Canada and around the world.