Generating solutions

The innovative genomics solutions developed by the projects and Interdisciplinary Challenge Teams (ICTs) in the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems portfolio will help mitigate climate change by reducing CO2 equivalents produced by the agri-food sector and increasing carbon sinks, helping to move Canada towards net-zero.

The Agricultural Genomics Action Centre (AG-ACt), the portfolio’s knowledge mobilization and implementation hub, will work with the ICTs to help bridge the gap between knowledge research, practice and policy. It will support each ICT’s knowledge mobilization strategies and identify areas of alignment or opportunities for cross-cutting connections to help make research findings relevant, accessible, and usable by end users to drive climate change impacts. It will also support portfolio-level GE3LS research and genomics in society activities for knowledge mobilization and implementation. GE3LS research is the study of the implications of genomics in society, including its ethical, environmental, economic, legal, and social impacts. The AG-ACt’s leadership of a coordinated multi-stakeholder and synergistic initiative within the agriculture ecosystem will maximize the impacts of the ICTs and enable the delivery of positive economic, environmental and societal outcomes for Canadians.

The work will be done in three phases. Phase I will focus on stakeholder engagement and needs assessment to develop the portfolio-level, value-added knowledge mobilization plan, pilot foundational activities and build knowledge mobilization capacity through training. In Phase II (implementation), the AG-ACt will host external stakeholder and end-user engagement sessions with policy makers, industry, other vital organizations and under-represented groups to synthesize knowledge, build relationships and drive uptake. It will connect across sectors and disciplines for knowledge exchange and dissemination on portfolio-level activities, including working with the National Index on Agri-Food Performance to develop and apply genomics-related sustainability indicators and knowledge. Phase III will focus on building collaborations for the future and moving towards a legacy plan that ensures the long-term impact of the portfolio.