How Government Infrastructure Builds Ag-Tech Innovation—and What Canada Can Learn

By Tabitha Caswell

When we think of iconic technologies that have redefined modern life, we usually recognize the visionaries behind the innovation, but we often forget that many were born with significant public support. 

The Internet, GPS, the very microchip powering your smartphone — dig a little, and you’ll discover a long list of cases where, time and again, government investment has taken on the highest-risk, highest-reward initiatives that private capital wouldn’t touch. 

Today, as Canada’s agri-food sector faces tariff threats, supply chain fragility, and the effects of climate change, perhaps we should be asking this question:

What role can government play in driving the next wave of agricultural innovation?

The answer is not theoretical. Around the world, governments have successfully built the infrastructure, research capacity, and early-stage risk capital that fuel thriving agri-tech industries. Models in Brazil, the Netherlands, Israel, and New Zealand are all good examples. What can we learn from these examples, and do lessons align with Canada’s needs?