AAFC Science and Innovation Strategy for the 21^st Century

As one of the most significant contributors to agricultural science and technology research in Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is committed to ensuring its investments and efforts in science and innovation remain relevant to Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector and all Canadians.

AAFC has been providing solutions for agriculture, rural communities and Canadians for over 120 years, and has adapted its expertise and its efforts to address new challenges and opportunities as they arose. Providing science solutions to the new challenges and opportunities facing the sector and Canadians is driving a new era of adaptation and focus at AAFC.

We began this new era in October-November 2005 by consulting approximately 500 representatives from Canadian producer organizations, processors, provincial and municipal governments, and other stakeholder groups. Their invaluable input formed a key guide to the development of AAFC Science and Innovation (S&I) Strategy document.

This S&I Strategy proposes renewed thinking about how we work together, how we optimize the use of our scientific resources and how we manage our investments in science and innovation to help ensure that collectively we create new opportunities, contribute to long-term profitability and growth, and enhance the competitiveness of our agriculture and agri-food sector.

While this S&I Strategy identifies a leadership role for AAFC in achieving the coordination and management of agriculture S&I for Canada, it also recognizes the necessity to develop partnerships with university, government and private sector representatives here and abroad to ensure the collective investments and efforts of national research providers are used to Canada’s best advantage.