2024-03-06
Faced with the challenge of needing an additional 17,000 employees to support the growth of Canada's plant-based food, feed and ingredient ecosystem over the next 10 years, Protein Industries Cluster is working to engage traditionally under represented Canadians, equity-seeking groups, including Indigenous youth, to help create a diverse workforce of the future. To support this exciting opportunity, Protein Industries Cluster is working with partners from across the ecosystem to create programs that introduce and encourage equity-seeking groups to find exciting opportunities in the plant-based foods value chain. Creating an industry that benefits people across Canada is a cornerstone for the cluster, and is being achieved through various programs such as:
- The Explore Digital Agriculture Program, led by the Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI) in collaboration with Actua and Agriculture in the Classroom Canada (AITC-C), introduced youth (kindergarten to Grade 12) to career opportunities in the plant-protein, agrifood and digital agriculture sectors. The project focused on Indigenous People and other equity-seeking groups in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Manitoba. This project exceeded its goal of introducing 69,000 students to the sector over three years, including more than 5,000 Indigenous youth.
- The Advancing Innovation in the Indigenous Agriculture/Agrifoods project is led by Indigenous Works. The Protein Industries Cluster worked with Indigenous Works to develop a national strategy to bring more Indigenous Peoples into the ecosystem, as well as steps to implement the strategy, with a focus on themes of Indigenous food sovereignty, jobs and business growth. This work included collaborations between post-secondary researchers and Indigenous businesses, research knowledge mobilizations, new product and service innovations, and employment and business development. Advancing an innovation culture with the collaboration of Indigenous businesses and communities, and growing collaborations between researchers, research agencies and Indigenous businesses will drive opportunities to develop new products, service lines, innovative approaches and solutions that support Indigenous communities.
Protein Industries Canada
Projects supporting and involving equity-seeking groups:
Explore Digital Agriculture Program
- Partners:
- Enterprise Machine Intelligence and Learning Initiative (EMILI), Actua
- Location:
- Winnipeg, Manitoba
Indigenous Agriculture/Agrifoods project
- Partners:
- Indigenous Works Organization Inc., Farm Credit Canada, Nutrien Ag Solutions, University of Saskatchewan
- Location:
- Saskatoon, Saskatchewan