Five groups receive AgriDiversity funding

On Tuesday, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, Marie-Claude Bibeau, announced an investment of up to $734,806 to help five organizations increase the participation of under-represented groups in the Canadian agriculture and agri-food industry.

With funding under the Canadian Agricultural Partnership’s AgriDiversity Program, the organizations will identify barriers and address issues to help more people from diverse backgrounds enter the industry and pursue careers as agricultural entrepreneurs.

“Companies and organizations are most successful when they bring together skilled and talented people from different genders, generations, and cultures. The agriculture sector has everything to gain from growing its diversity at a time when career and business opportunities are multiplying, from the farm to the laboratory, and through new technologies,” said Bibeau.

The recipients include:

- The Fédération des Agricultrices du Québec will receive up to $315,301
- The Native Women’s Association of Canada will receive up to $136,954
- Indigenous Works will receive up to $123,406
- The Canadian Federation of Agriculture will receive up to $82,389
- The Do More Agriculture Foundation will receive up to $76,756

The projects being undertaken by these organizations will open doors for Canadians of diverse backgrounds, creating new opportunities in Canada’s agriculture and agri-food industry. 

The organizations will also help raise awareness in the sector of the barriers to starting and growing an agriculture or agri-food business. The work includes a national project to address systemic barriers facing women trying to succeed in agriculture, local initiatives to empower Indigenous peoples to create business opportunities through traditional food and medicine, and national research to address gaps in mental health support for under-represented groups working in agriculture.