Ottawa-The government needs a national agriculture strategy that covers all its departments and agencies, says Serge Buy, CEO of the Agri-Food Innovation Council (AIC).

The national strategy that Agriculture Canada has is focused on itself when there should be a government-wide strategy, Buy told the Senate agriculture committee.

Agriculture Canada now is a very small partner in the whole agri-food ecosystem funding from the federal government. The Science Department “has much more money to provide for large projects than Agriculture Canada so we were looking for a pan-government, government-wide strategy.”

Buy said the government should develop a food security strategy in the coming months. While Canada is a global powerhouse in food production, “too many Canadians remain food insecure.”

“This tells us something critical. Our challenge is not a lack of food but a lack of alignment across our food system between production, policy innovation and access.”

While the government’s Food Policy for Canada sets out a strong and important vision, “the results to date point to a gap between aspiration and outcomes. Food insecurity has continued to rise, particularly among vulnerable populations.”

The problem comes from “the lack of integration, measurable targets and system-wide execution. We need to move from a policy framework to a coordinated food system strategy.”

AIC has calculated that 37 departments and agencies have some responsibility in agriculture and food research and innovation. The way forward “is not the creation of new programs. It is to use our existing resources more efficiently, eliminate duplication and be laser-focused on delivery.”

Eliminating duplication among government bodies has been recommended and Buy hoped the Senate committee would add its voice to that call.

“Food security must be designed with communities, not for them. For this, we need to look at how we can innovate from where we are now to where we need to be.”

Food security is shaped by agricultural productivity, climate change, market structure and supply chains and importantly, income and affordability, Buy said.

“If we produce more efficiently, more sustainably and more locally where needed, we reduce costs and strengthen access.”

All federal programs and policies need to be assessed for their value. They are fragmented and not sufficiently aligned around the single objective of improving food security outcomes.

“We need to look at climate-resilient agriculture, next-generation production systems, digital and precision agriculture, supply chain innovation, food processing and value-added capacity and Indigenous-led research and food systems.”

To make this work, Canada needs enabling mechanisms such as mission-driven funding with clear targets to significantly reduce food insecurity.

“Food security is not just a social challenge; it is a strategic national issue. Canada has all the building blocks. It’s a world-class producer with strong research capacity and a diverse and innovative agri-food sector. What we need now is alignment and ambition.”

A national strategy for agriculture and food research and innovation has to be the next step. “With a coordinated, innovation-driven approach, Canada can be both a global agri-food leader and a food-secure nation at home.”

Canada used to have a good system to translate technology and innovation on farms but it was cut in the 1970s and 1980s.

Nowadays not all farmers can use the internet or have to cope with outdated versions of it, Buy said.

“If we want our farmers to adopt new technologies, we need to give them the means. It is not about funding or more money. It is about making sure that the money we have is well spent.”

This news report prepared for National Newswatch