Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Funding Opportunity

Climate-smart Agriculture and Food Systems Genomics Initiative

Climate-smart Agriculture and Food SystemsGenome Prairie through Genome Canada announced in May 2022 the Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems initiative. This initiative will invest $30M in cutting-edge genomic research and innovation to reduce the carbon footprint of Canada’s food production systems—building their resiliency, environmental sustainability and economic viability. Climate change poses a significant risk to our agricultural systems, impacting the availability of food and other vital resources, from fuels to the raw materials used to develop everyday products. This $30M initiative is comprised of three unique funding streams – a Climate Smart Agriculture and Smart Food stream ($24M), a Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub stream ($4M), and a Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination Hub stream ($2M).

Data Coordination and Collaboration (DCC) Hub

Data Coordination and Collaboration (DCC) Hub

Launched: August, 2022
Total funding available: $4,000,000

DCC Project Deadlines:
December 7, 2022: Registrations due to Genome Prairie.
March, 2023: Full application due to Genome Prairie.

Overview:

The Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub Initiative will fund a portfolio of Interdisciplinary Challenge Team (ICT) projects that will be supported, coordinated and connected through cross-cutting programs in knowledge mobilization, data coordination and implementation. Data are a central component of the Initiative. Data will act as a bridge or connector between projects and as an output supporting the ability to achieve and measure impact across a diverse portfolio of projects.

This Initiative will fund two cross-cutting coordination Hubs: the Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub, which will focus on data, and the Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination Hub, which will focus on knowledge mobilization and implementation. These Hubs will provide administrative, technical and coordination leadership to the project portfolio with a focus on:

A single pan-Canadian team will be selected to provide data coordination and technical expertise for the portfolio of projects. This team will work with the ICTs and other partners to develop and implement a portfolio data plan.

Objectives:

This funding opportunity aims to support a single pan-Canadian team that will develop and implement a data plan for Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. First, the team will internally coordinate data-related activities across the interdisciplinary research teams to add value and consistency to the genomic data assets that are being generated. Second, the team will help the projects leverage these data assets to externally advance genomic technologies and policies that have the potential to measurably mitigate climate change, such as by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and/or increasing carbon sequestration.

The broader vision is to co-develop the foundation of a collaborative Canadian climate genomic data hub.

Funding Available and Term:

Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination (KMIC) Hub

Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination (KMIC) Hub

Launched: August, 2022
Total funding available: $2,100,000
Maximum project envelope in this competition: $2,100,000

DCC Project Deadlines:
December 7, 2022: Registrations due to Genome Prairie.
March, 2023: Full application due to Genome Prairie.

Overview:

The Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Hub initiative will fund a portfolio of Interdisciplinary Challenge Team (ICT) projects that will be supported, coordinated and connected through cross-cutting programs in knowledge mobilization, data coordination and implementation. Knowledge mobilization and implementation will be critical components of the Initiative. The projects within the portfolio will intentionally and regularly connect, convene and learn from each other to drive greater collective impact.

To that end, this Initiative will fund two cross-cutting coordination Hubs: the Data Coordination and Collaboration Hub, which will focus on data, and the Knowledge Mobilization and Implementation Coordination Hub, which will focus on knowledge mobilization and implementation. These Hubs will provide administrative, technical and coordination leadership to the project portfolio with a focus on:

Objectives:

The objective of this funding opportunity is to support a single pan-Canadian team that will develop and implement a portfolio-level knowledge mobilization and implementation plan for Genome Canada’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Food Systems Initiative. The team will coordinate knowledge mobilization and implementation activities to ensure that research and investments produce the intended impacts and outcomes. Consistent with the overall Initiative objective, this will include undertaking key GE3LS research at the portfolio level and advancing genomic technologies and policies that have the potential to measurably mitigate climate change by reducing carbon emissions and increasing carbon sequestration.

Funding Available and Term:

Overview:

Launched: May, 2022
Total funding available: $24,000,000
Maximum project envelope in this competition: $3,000,000

UPDATED: Climate-Smart Project Deadlines
JULY 5, 2022: Deadline for submitting registration to Genome Prairie:
AUGUST 15, 2022: Deadline to submit draft Letter of Intent (LOI) to Genome Prairie
SEPTEMBER 16, 2022: Deadline for submitting final version of the LOI to Genome Prairie.
early November, 2022: Applicants notified of results of the LOI submissions after peer review organized by Genome Canada
December 12, 2022: Deadline to submit draft full applications including budget and appendices.

For a complete list of project timelines, click here to download all key project dates (MS-Word document).

Objectives:

Interdisciplinary Challenge Teams (ICTs) represent the largest, key component of the initiative. ICTs are integrated teams of researchers from different disciplines and users who work together to address specific questions, achieve relevant deliverables and, ultimately, reduce the carbon footprint and greenhouse gas emissions of Canada’s agriculture and food systems. As part of the Initiative portfolio, the teams will work toward broader national impacts that manifest value beyond each individual project. The ICTs will provide genomic solutions to help implement agriculture and food production systems that are climate-resilient, socially responsible, economically viable and environmentally sustainable, and that contribute to the mitigation of climate change impacts.

The scope of this funding opportunity will include areas where genomic technologies are used to help achieve net-zero emissions by 2050 and reduce the carbon footprint of Canada’s agriculture and food production system. Projects should seek solutions that will increase the value created by production systems without increasing greenhouse gas emissions or amplifying negative impacts on the natural environment. Furthermore, projects should demonstrate how their outputs could be translated into reduced emissions by taking into account the various dimensions of the food system value chain, including production, processing, distribution and consumption.

Applicants must demonstrate how their proposal has significant potential to achieve concrete deliverables by the end of the funding period. Proposals that make a strong case that their deliverables will translate into significant social and/or economic benefits that align with the Initiative’s overall intended impact (i.e., the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions to lessen the carbon footprint of Canada’s agriculture and food production systems) within the shortest time frame possible after the end of the project are particularly encouraged. Consideration will be given to what is reasonable for different research areas.

To ensure that the objectives of the funding opportunity are met, all applications must address the evaluation criteria established for the competition.

For More Information About These Opportunities, Please Contact:

Dr. Lester Young
Chief Scientific Officer
Genome Prairie
Telephone: (306) 668-3570, ext. 8
E-mail: lyoung@genomeprairie.ca