Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, April 20th, 2023 – The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) today unveiled the first story of a nine-part series highlighting results of the AgTech research & innovation projects it has funded during its first two-and-a-half years of formal operations.
CAAIN’s mandate from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is to fund technological responses to the most significant opportunities and challenges facing the nation’s agri-food producers and primary processors. That means supporting promising efforts with the potential to provide economic or environmental value. The featured stories demonstrate that CAAIN is doing just that, as do the 129 collaborations the organization has nurtured and the $31M it is investing in 24 projects with a combined total value exceeding $100M.
“Our team is proud of the project partners whose efforts we support,” explained Dr. Cornelia Kreplin, CAAIN’s Interim CEO. “And we feel it’s important to share their stories so that Canadians may understand and appreciate the kind of progress being made by the country’s agricultural innovators. The size of our projects varies greatly, but what remains constant is their quality and the value they will return.”
CAAIN is sharing stories that will interest anyone who wants to know what it takes to produce the food we all take for granted. Today’s young people, and even some of their parents, believe that what they eat appears magically on the store shelves. In fact, the agri-food supply chain is lengthy and complex, and increasingly dependent on high-tech solutions to feed a growing population using finite resources. The R&D responsible for some of those technologies is remarkable, as are the people doing the innovating.
The first featured project is called Optimizing Hyper-Eye: An Integrated Solution for Assessment of Fertility and Gender of Pre-Incubated Eggs. Its total cost is $3,311,152, of which $1,326,888 is being funded by CAAIN. One of the remarkable elements of this initiative is the range of benefits that will accrue to countries around the world when the technology is commercialized. The brainchild of Michael Ngadi, a McGill University professor, and the CEO of Baie d’Urfe, Quebec-based MatrixSpec Solutions Inc., the technology in question will improve the financial viability, environmental sustainability, and workplace conditions of egg production facilities.
For more information, click here or go to https://caain.ca/our-projects/optimizing-hyper-eye/.
“Research and innovation are key drivers in ensuring longevity in the Agri-tech sector. Increasing domestic egg production will position Canada as a leader in the agri-tech sector and secure future egg production. I am thrilled to see success in so many facets of Canadian agriculture creating local jobs and opportunities. Investing in projects such as ‘Optimizing Hyper-Eye’ will help feed Canadians across the country and secure building blocks of nutrition for this generation and ones to come.”
The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“Investments in research in the agriculture and agri-food sector are enabling world-leading innovation. This research will provide the egg industry with cutting-edge, innovative solutions that will reduce costs and improve egg production and environmental sustainability, while providing Canadians with high-quality eggs.”
The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
“These stories offer a glimpse of the future of agriculture and food production in Canada. The technologies our innovators are advancing will position Canadian producers to be global leaders.”
Laura Kilcrease, Chair, CAAIN Board of Directors
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The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) is a not-for-profit company launched in July 2019 with funding of $49.5‑million from the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund, and assistance from Alberta Innovates in the form of significant in-kind contributions. CAAIN drives collaborative agri-food technology research and innovation from coast to coast by performing three core functions. First, it supports the development of promising solutions to important challenges facing producers and primary food processors. Second, it is building an online, member-based network connecting Canada’s agricultural and technology stakeholders. Third, CAAIN is developing a digital platform to link nationwide, production-specific networks of smart farms, which will collaborate to validate and demonstrate emerging technology in diverse locations across the country.
| Project Funding Inquiries Dr. Cornelia Kreplin Interim CEO Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network cornelia.kreplin@caain.ca |
Media Inquiries Eric Morin, CMP Manager, Communications and Marketing Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network 780.405.3742 | eric.morin@caain.ca |
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