Ripe for transition: four qualities of agri-food regions
Canada’s journey toward advancing sustainable agriculture highlights the importance of diverse stakeholder collaboration in transitions. Adopting practices such as diverse crop rotations, cover cropping, reduced tillage, minimized synthetic inputs, and integrated livestock management enhance soil health, water quality and biodiversity—all while building resilience to climate change. Forming collaborations between large-scale, mainstream actors and smaller-scale alternative players, especially at the local level, can help change unsustainable practices at scale, while setting the stage for long-term gain for Canadian agriculture. As the saying goes… it takes a village.
Building on insights in the September 2023 report, Strategic Framework for Accelerating Sustainable Agriculture in Canada: Recommendations for Philanthropy (Andrée, Hunter and Meadowcroft), FoodBridge recently completed a short research project outlining the qualities that help regions make sustainability transitions. In contrast to more traditionally defined regions that can span multiple provinces (i.e. Atlantic Canada), the “agri-food regions” covered by this work are typically geographically smaller, ecologically consistent areas (single counties of small provinces, for example) that support coordinated agricultural practices.
To better understand what informs successful transitions towards sustainability, FoodBridge identified four key characteristics for driving change at a regional level:
Strategic importance and identity: In regions where agriculture deeply influences both the economy and cultural identity, there’s a natural foundation for sustainable food system initiatives. Prince Edward Island’s identity as “Canada’s Food Island” provides a strong example. The island’s vibrant farming heritage is both economically and culturally significant, which can guide commitments for transitioning to sustainable agriculture practices.
Supportive regional environment: Regional policies and programs can provide crucial support for transition to sustainable and regenerative agriculture, in addition to federal and provincial funding programs. For example, Montérégie (among other Quebec regions) operates a region-specific food strategy and fund. Other regions offer micro-grants, on-farm transition support and community events, encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable practices.Other regions offer micro-grants, on-farm transition support and community events, encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable practices.
Diverse organizations: In regions with a history of sustainable farming initiatives, the presence of diverse organizations can strengthen broader transitions. For instance, Ontario’s Wellington County has a strong agricultural network that collaborates on everything from technical support to peer learning.
Vibrant multi stakeholder collaborations
Across Canada, regional initiatives are uniting diverse stakeholders that reflect a combination of bottom up and top down approaches to markets, including a growing number of partnerships between companies and non-profits. In southern Manitoba, the Growing Roots program, led by ALUS and General Mills supports farmers and ranchers in transitioning to regenerative practices by creating on-field projects, fostering peer-to-peer learning opportunities and building local producer networks. Meanwhile, the annual Direct Farm Manitoba Conference unites producers, organizations and businesses to discuss emerging marketing strategies, stay informed on the latest trends and strengthen peer-to-peer support.
By focusing on these strengths, Canadian agri-food regions may effectively bring about sustainable transitions that can benefit local economies, communities and the environment. Embracing these guiding qualities can not only drive regional resilience but also strengthen Canada’s leadership in the global shift towards a future for agriculture that is both prosperous and sustainable.