Food Farm Talk

Join us for an insightful conversation with Professor HelenHambly Odame, professor at the University of Guelph and current Board Chair of the International Potato Centre. The Centre is one of 15 CGIAR research centres, a global research partnership working for a food-secure future since 1971.In this special episode, we explore the work, achievements, research priorities, and contributions of the International Potato Centre, drawing on insights from its 2025 Annual Report and Helen’s experiences with the centre and other international development agencies.Agricultural research plays a transformational role in addressing hunger and food security around the world. Our discussion focuses particularly on potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other tuber crops, examining their significance in agricultural development, food security, nutrition, climate resilience, research and innovation, and the livelihoods of farming communities. Helen reflects on the role of these crops and research in food, health, justice, business, and development in the global south, especially the Americas, Africa, and Asia. We delve into the evolution of international development research agencies and the place of agriculture historically and in the current challenging policy environment.With Professor Hambly Odame’s academic expertise and leadership experience as Board Chair of CIP, we gain insights into the Centre’s work and its contribution to transforming agri-food systems through research, partnerships, and innovation.The International Potato Centre (CIP) was founded in 1971 as a research-for-development organization with a focus on potato, sweet potato, and Andean roots and tubers. It delivers innovative science-based solutions to enhance access to affordable nutritious food, fosters inclusive sustainable business, and employment growth, and drives the climate resilience of root and tuber agri-food systems. Headquartered in Lima, Peru, CIP has a research presence in more than 20 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. FoodFarmTalk – Agriculture • Food • CommunityHosts: Isaac Quansah and Paul SmithDon’t miss it!More information:The Potato Crop - all you would love to learn about potatoes! The Potato Crop: Its Agricultural, Nutritional and Social Contribution to Humankind - Springer Nature LinkThe World Potato Congress Home - World Potato CongressCanadian research project info sheets ENGLISH-Potato-Research-Activities-–-March-2025.pdfSweet potatoes in Canada! SweetPotatoes in Canada? - Canadian Food Focus

From climate change and food security to new technologiesand changing markets, farmers face increasingly complex challenges. On this episode of FoodFarmTalk on CFRU 93.3 FM, we discuss“The Importance of Agricultural Extension Officers in Modern Agriculture.” 🎙️ Our Speakers:👨🏾‍🎓 Andrew Lonta —Graduate Student, University of Guelph🎙️ Isaac Quansah — Host, FoodFarmTalk🎙️ Paul Smith — Co-host, FoodFarmTalk We explore:🌾 How extension officers support farmers📱 The role of technology and innovation🌍 Climate change adaptation🥗 Food security and sustainable agriculture👩🏾‍🌾 Supporting farmers andrural communities👨🏾‍🌾 Encouraging youngpeople to enter agriculture🚜 The future of agricultural extension Agricultural extension is about more than transferringknowledge it is about empowering farmers to make informed decisions and buildresilient, productive communities.

What does it mean to be a farmer in Ghana compared with Ontario, Canada? In this episode of Food Farm Talk on CFRU 93.3 FM, Isaac Quansah sits down with Paul Smith for an engaging discussion exploring the similarities and differences between agricultural systems in Ghana and Ontario.We discuss who farmers are, how people enter farming, farming methods and technologies, major crops and livestock, government and NGO support, and the key challenges farmers face in both contexts.From Ghana's predominantly smallholder farming systems and reliance on rainfall to Ontario's highly mechanized and technology-driven agriculture, the conversation highlights how farmers in different parts of the world respond to issues such as access to land, finance, climate change, markets, technology, and succession.Tune in for a conversation about farming, food systems, innovation, and the future of agriculture in Ghana and Ontario.

Ataharul Chowdhury joins Isaac Quansah and Paul Smith to talk about the future of agricultural knowledge sharing through extension and advisory services. Dr. Chowdhury is Associate Professor of Capacity Development and Extension and Program Graduate Coordinator in the Ontario Agricultural College, University of Guelph.Ataharul grew up on a family farm in Bangladesh, and also had opportunities to live, study and work in different countries. He developed a passionate interest in food, agriculture and the environment, and the roles these play in the well-being of communities. Ataharul joined the School of Environmental Design and Rural Development, and brings more than a decade of teaching and research experience at universities, non-profits and private foundations in the Caribbean, Canada, Austria, and South Asia. He has collaborated with many leading international partners to help build more sustainable agriculture and rural development in remote and resource-poor communities around the world.More information:https://www.uoguelph.ca/sedrd/people/ataharul-chowdhuryhttps://theconversation.com/canadas-new-food-security-strategy-invests-in-technology-but-overlooks-the-people-who-help-farmers-use-it-286812

Isaac Quansah is a graduate student in international development in his Capacity Development and Extension Program at the Ontario Agricultural College at the University of Guelph. Isaac is joining Food Farm Talk on CFRU as a host and producer, with Paul Smith.Isaac is from Ghana in west Africa and hopes to play a role in rural development back in Ghana. He grew up in rural Ghana, farming casava, maize, and cocoa with his family. First attending university in Accra, the capital city of Ghana, Isaac came to Canada to study at Conestoga College and then University of Guelph.Isaac’s work at Food Farm Talk on CFRU forms part of his academic studies and reflects his interest in communications and extension, or knowledge mobilization, for rural communities.Isaac and Paul discuss Isaac’s background, interests, and hopes for future career development. They also discuss food security, improving farming practices, and empowering local farmers and rural people in Ghana as well as the roles of central government, municipalities, non-profit organizations, and other actors.

A panel discussion exploring the business case for climate solutions was part of the 2023 Arrell Food Summit: Pathways to Change on November 14, 2023.Speakers included:- Mauricio Alanis, Director of Sustainability Strategy and Partnerships, Maple Leaf Foods- Mohamed Yaghi, Climate and Agriculture Policy Lead, Climate Action Institute, RBC- Julie Gartside, Global Head of Integration Management Climate Change Strategies Technical Director, SLR Consulting- Ellery Burton, Principal Managing Partner, Alterra Innovation- Sally Flis, Director, Sustainability Program Design & Outcome Management, Nutrien Ag SolutionsThe discussion explores the “why” behind adopting climate solutions in food and agriculture.While climate change can be seen only as a risk, many companies are seizing the opportunity to strengthen their resilience to climate impacts, reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and adopt new technologies that will create a competitive business advantage and lead to economic growth. Many businesses also recognize that policy changes are already underway, and are moving to align their business practices with investor, stakeholder and consumer values.Perspectives from farming, industry and policy will inform this panel discussion, which helps companies, industry and decision-makers explore their ‘why’ behind adopting climate solutions in food and agriculture and helps to strengthen the business case for sustainable decisions.Thanks to the Arrell Food Institute for partnering to air this episode on Food Farm Talk. First aired in 2024.More information:https://arrellfoodinstitute.ca/

Ralph Martin’s book is an evocative mix of science, philosophy, memoir, reflection and manifesto for change. And food and farming tie it all together. Food security is certainly a focus, but the book ranges far beyond a narrow view of that phrase. Ralph is a retired professor of plant agriculture at Guelph with an emphasis on organic agriculture and forage crops. The book promo says the following. “Canadians are failing to balance reasonable food consumption with sufficient and sustainable production. The modern agricultural system is producing more and more food. Too much food. The cost is enormous: excess nutrients are contaminating the air and water; soil is being depleted; species loss is plunging us toward the sixth extinction; and farmers, racking up debt, are increasingly vulnerable to economic and climatic shifts. And then there is the waste — householders, food processors, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers collectively waste 40 percent of the food produced. A radical rethink is required. We need to move from excess to enough.” Listen to his discussion with Paul Smith. (Originally aired in 2020).More information is available at:https://ralphmartin.ca/https://www.dundurn.com/books_/t22117/a9781459744028-food-securityhttps://www.plant.uoguelph.ca/rcmartin

Agriculture played an important role in colonialism and the dispossession of Indigenous peoples. Today it could help build prosperity and reconciliation. We hear from Chief Cadmus Delorme on the history of agriculture and colonialism as it is expressed on Cowessess First Nation, Treaty 4 in Saskatchewan.In this episode, Chief Delorme traces the history of his First Nation from before European contact, through signing of Treaty 4, the failure to implement Treaty obligations, and the roadblocks to real First Nations engagement in agriculture from the start. Support for European-style agriculture was promised in the numbered treaties of western Canada like Treaty 4, only to be quickly subverted.Chief Delorme talks about many of the issues regarding these treaties and the Indian Act. The Indian Agents’ power to control First Nations people, the pass system requiring the Indian Agents’ approval of sales of grain and cattle, and arbitrary reductions in the size of the Cowessess reserve land area.This is a brutal irony as Indigenous people and agriculture have a long history in Canada and on Turtle Island going back thousands of years. The agricultural innovations from Indigenous peoples in the Americas transformed global agriculture after European contact.This presentation was part of virtual conference in September 2021 on Indigenous Agricultural Innovation held by FHQ Developments and is used with their permission.Chief Cadmus Delorme, Cree (Nehiyaw) and Saulteaux (Anishinabe), was Chief of the Cowessess First Nation. He came to national attention in 2021 when 751 unmarked graves were identified on Cowessess First Nation. He holds a Master of Public Administration and Bachelor of Business Administration from the First Nations University of Canada, and was also named in CBC Saskatchewan’s Future 40, a list of leaders, builders and change-makers under the age of 40.This episode is part of a series on different aspects of Indigenous agriculture. In the next episodes, Cadmus Delorme explores the challenges and opportunities for First Nations’ pursuing prosperity through business development in agriculture and agri-business.Thanks to Thomas Benjoe and Indigenous Agriculture Innovation for partnering to air this on Food Farm Talk.Cowessess First Nationhttps://www.cowessessfn.com/A Brief History of Indigenous Agriculturehttps://manitobamuseum.ca/a-brief-history-of-indigenous-agriculture/Canada’s First Nations people were country’s first farmershttps://www.producer.com/crops/canadas-first-nations-people-were-countrys-first-farmers/File Hills Qu’Appelle (FHQ) Developmentshttps://fhqdev.com/File Hills Qu’Appelle Tribal Councilhttps://fhqtc.com/Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nationshttps://www.fsin.ca/Indigenous Peoples in Canadian agriculture - Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadahttps://agriculture.canada.ca/en/indigenous-peoples-canadian-agriculture

Water is Food - Emerging Knowledge is a panel discussion hosted by the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph. This was held on World Food Day on October 16, 2023, as a panel discussion looking at emerging research and insights into best practices, barriers and opportunities at the intersection of water and agri-food. Arrell Food Institute director Dr. Evan Fraser moderated a panel of University of Guelph experts at the intersection of water and agri-food to discuss the latest research and best practices in their fields. The panel discussion features:- Dr. Larry Goodridge, director of the Canadian Research Institute for Food Safety and professor in the Ontario Agricultural College’s Department of Food Science, who will discuss research in detecting and treating waterborne pathogens that can impact the food system.- Dr. Tongzhe Li, professor in the Department of Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (FARE) and the inaugural Arrell Family Chair in Behavioural and Experimental Economics, who will share insights from research conducted on consumer preferences toward growing fresh foods using recycled irrigation water.- Dr. Hugh Simpson, researcher at the Morwick G360 Groundwater Research Institute, who will discuss private water wells and their importance to local food. Simpson is currently working on a project with U of G researchers to examine the needs of the rural community for guidance about private water wells for agricultural, business and domestic purposes. The event took place at the Anita Stewart Memorial Food Lab in the Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics.This World Food Day 2023 event was organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, in partnership with: Food Tank, Driscoll’s, WholeChain, University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University. and in collaboration with: International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Arrell Food Institute, Compass Group Canada. Thanks to the Arrell Food Institute for permission to air this recording. First aired in 2024.https://arrellfoodinstitute.ca/https://www.fao.org/world-food-day/enhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8vAPL48kaI

Wrapping up our Stories of Regeneration tour, we land in Ottawa at Just Food Community Farm, a 150-acre farmstead located in Ottawa’s Greenbelt that is championing small-scale, viable agriculture businesses and initiatives like Chi Garden and Urban Fresh Produce. Dedicated to cultivating a thriving local food economy and sustainable farming sector, Just Food integrates agroecology-based conservation with land stewardship. The farm is a testament to how community-led initiatives can redefine our food systems, offering food sovereignty for all, including newcomers to Canada. Its Start-up Farm Program addresses the critical barrier of land access, turning aspiring individuals into farmers and fostering community regeneration. Highlighting this unique model, Chadwick Lewis (Urban Fresh Produce) and Sun Shan (Chi Garden), participants of the program, share their experiences in our series finale, underscoring the farm’s role in sustainable agriculture and community building. Highlights: 6:45 – What is Just Food Community Farm? 15:25 – Chadwick and Sun Shan talk about their individual farms and how they got involved in agriculture. 23:14 – What regenerative practices do they implement on their individual farms? 34:33 – Sun Shan and Chadwick talk about food sovereignty. 46:02 – How can we support new Canadians who want to get involved in agriculture and ensure economic viability? 1:02:31 – Why did Sun Shan and Chadwick choose farming? Thanks to Regeneration Canada and Rural Routes to Climate Solutions for partnering to air this episode on Food Farm Talk and CFRU. Useful links: Stories of Regeneration Stories of Regeneration Short Film Series Regeneration Canada’s Farm Map Just Food Community Farm If you want to learn more, we recommend you check out the following: EP 47 – The Regen Mindset EP 67 – Total Grazing – SoR Part 1 EP 69 – Loyal to the Soil – SoR Part 2 EP 70 – Maximizing Soil Function – SoR Part 3 EP 71 – Sharing the Land – SoR Part 4 EP 72 – Connecting People to Place – SoR Part 5 EP 73 – Diversity is Resiliency – SoR Part 6 EP 75 – From Pastures to Cheese – SoR Part 7 EP 76 – Partners in the Ecosystem – SoR Part 8 EP 77 – Healthy Food, Healthy Communities – SoR Part 9  Our Farmers Blog shares stories about Alberta farmers who do an exceptional job of caring for the land, producing food, and building up their communities. This podcast has been partially funded by Agriculture and Agri-food Canada.