Accelerating agri-innovation to address climate change challenges

气候变化的影响是全球农业面临的最严重威胁之一。新一代农业创新公司正在开发产品，以加强作物生产和土壤功能的可持续性，以抵御重大气候变化天气事件并从中恢复。2021年，不列颠哥伦比亚省发生了一系列前所未有的灾难性气候事件，影响了农业生产、供应链和粮食安全。这一举措是对这些事件的回应。其三个主题将有助于加快两类创新农产品的开发，这将有助于应对气候变化的影响。支持健康土壤和作物的微生物财团和微藻，有可能帮助受损土壤从2021年洪水事件中恢复，将进行实地测试，并深入分析土壤微生物群落的反应和恢复。第二个主题旨在通过制定监管途径协议和文件，帮助中小企业规划其研究和开发，以确保在适当的时候满足监管机构的要求，从而加快这些天然产品的上市。一个混合的现场和虚拟研讨会，以及一个录制的网络研讨会将与广泛的行业成员分享这一主题的成果。 KPU协助中小企业满足与监管要求有关的研究和开发需求的能力将大大提高。第三个主题将加速非微生物新型农业技术创新，包括种子的激光处理和生物刺激剂，以提高几种作物种子的发芽和早期生长。第二项创新将使用物联网技术开发预测疾病模型，使生产者能够真实的及时获得关键作物管理。在第一年，7个行业合作伙伴将参与，预计第二年将有相同数量的合作伙伴加入该倡议。三名KPU教师，几名研究技术人员和12名学生将通过参加研究和知识转移活动进行培训。EDI实践将确保这些机会平等地提供给尽可能广泛的学生，对员工和学生的EDI培训将是核心活动之一。预计这一举措将为不列颠哥伦比亚省农业生产者提供新的实用工具，由于开展了研究活动和与该项目建立了伙伴关系，将继续提供更多的工具。

Climate change impacts are some of the most serious threats to agriculture globally. A new generation of agri-innovation companies are developing products to strengthen the sustainability of crop production and soil function to withstand and recover from major climate change weather events. In BC in 2021, an unprecedented chain of catastrophic climate events impacted agricultural production, supply chains and food security. This initiative is a response to these events. Its three themes will help accelerate the development of two classes of innovative agri-products which will help address climate change impacts. Microbial consortia and micro algae that support healthy soil and crops with potential to help damaged soils to recover from the flood event of 2021 will be field tested and in-depth analyses of the soil microbial community response and recovery will be studied. A second theme is designed to accelerate these natural products to market by developing a Regulatory Pathway protocol and document to help SMEs plan their research and development to ensure the requirements of regulatory bodies are met at appropriate times. A blended in-person and virtual workshop, and a recorded webinar will share the results of this theme with a broad range of industry members. KPU's ability to assist SMEs with their research and development needs related to regulatory requirements will be greatly enhanced. The third theme will accelerate non-microbial novel agri-tech innovations, including laser light treatments of seed and a biostimulant for its ability to improve the germination and early growth of several crop seeds. A second innovation will develop predictive disease models using IoT technology to make critical crop management available in real time to producers. In the first year, 7 industry partners will participate and the same number are expected to join the initiative in the second year. Three KPU faculty members, several research technicians and 12 students will be trained through participating in the research and knowledge transfer activities. EDI practices will ensure these opportunities are available equally to the broadest range of students possible and EDI training for both staff and students will one of the core activities. This initiative is expected to provide new practical tools to BC agricultural producers and additional tools will continue to become available as a result of the research activity and partnerships started with this project.