Ag Minister Marie-Claude Bibeau has announced an investment of up to $750,000 for SeedChange to achieve an “enhanced Canadian seed system that is equipped to support the development and long-term competitiveness of farmer-bred grain and vegetable varieties for organic and climate-resilient farming.”
The project aims to implement demonstration sites across the country to evaluate and showcase farmer-bred and/or Canadian-grown varieties that thrive in organic and climate-resilient farming conditions. It will create a range of knowledge-transfer tools and learning opportunities for farmers, seed companies and researchers in their region, according to a news release.
It is expected that the project will increase commercial adoption and use of Canadian-grown seed, enhance the practice of farmer-led plant breeding methodologies and increase market trade opportunities in the value chain, Bibeau said.
This funding, under the Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program, will help to support Canadian seed by diversifying it’s varieties to consumers and provide new opportunities to farmers, SeedChange Executive Director Leticia Ama Deawuo said.
“Seed diversity is a crucial tool for climate change adaptation, which is why SeedChange works with Canadian organic farmers and seed growers to preserve seed diversity and breed new varieties on their farms. This new funding from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada will increase the adoption of Canadian-grown varieties of grain and vegetable seed among organic farmers and increase climate resilience in Canada’s agricultural sector.”
By reaching new consumers and markets, the agricultural economy will continue to grow, keeping the sector positioned for long-term competitiveness through germplasm exchange, global research and development programs, contract production for export, and marketing new varieties imported into Canada, she added.
