BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation

BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation collaborated with Big Data Hub at SFU to deliver a workshop on Harnessing Big Data for Agricultural Excellence, presented by Marie-Helene Burle, at the Agriculture Excellence Conference by Farm Management Canada - Gestion agricole du Canada.    Data management is essential for any business, including agriculture. During the workshop, Marie simplified the complexities of farm data management, sparking engaging discussions and insightful questions from the audience.     BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation strives to simplify the understanding of complex technologies so that businesses can see how these tools can drive impact across their value chains and bottom lines.    Does your business have training needs? Please reach out to BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation, and we will be happy to assist!     Carson Li Christopher Duffin Ian Chan Fred Popowich Nemrita Mehdirata, MBA

Six agritech field faculty members from local universities in B.C., serving as BCCAI ambassadors, came together to discuss "Cultivating the Future of Agritech." It was wonderful to see this event succeed. Kudos to BCCAI for bringing together various stakeholders at the SFU downtown campus. It was inspiring to hear about the diverse and interconnected agritech challenges and needs in B.C., aimed at solving issues, upskilling growers, and encouraging the next generation to pursue agritech careers. Topics such as AI, robotics, drones, genomics, and appropriate technology were thoroughly discussed, and I'm sure these subjects resonated with the audience. It was a timely conversation in our collective effort to build agritech community. Thank you to the entire BCCAI family for making this event a success. AVPKMI Elicia Maine and I initiated this BCCAI ambassador program, and the BCCAI leadership has been working with them for about a year. I look forward to seeing more activities with the BCCAI ambassadors. #Agritech, #BCCAI, #GIA, #KPU, #UFV, #UVIC, #TRU, #UBC, #SFU, #AI, #Robotics, #AppropriateTech, Paul Adams Renee Rrasad John Church Abubhav Singh Colin Bradley Rahul Singh Bo-Sen Wu Christopher Duffin Dr. Laila Benkrima Rachel Backer Ian Chan Elicia Maine Ankit Popli

Team BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation delivered a successful Cultivating the Future event on Nov 22 at the Harbour Centre Simon Fraser University. ✅ The Keynote "The Future of Agriculture: Innovation and Partnerships” by Gabriel Youtsey from the University of California featured: ➖ The world’s fifth-largest economy’s approach to technology for solving agriculture challenges. BC has similar challenges — the West Coast/Interior Challenges! ➖ The VINE, a UC ANR program run by Farmhand Ventures, serves the growing need for practical, industry-driven innovation in the agrifood sector using the “market pull” approach, ensuring technology development is guided by actual needs from the field. ➖ UC ANR’s collaboration with First Nations – Unlearn, Engage, Listen and Act! ✅ BC’s AgriTech Strength Showcased Presentations highlighted BC’s cutting-edge agri-tech research:   ➖ Anubhav Pratap-Singh, UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems, The University of British Columbia: Advances in food processing. ➖ John Church, Thompson Rivers University: Precision ranching and sustainability. ➖ Renee Prasad, University of the Fraser Valley:  Sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices. ➖ Colin Bradley University of Victoria:  Automation and optical sensing in agriculture. ➖ Paul Adams, Kwantlen Polytechnic University: The application of genomics in the agriculture and agrifood sectors. 🔆 Woo Soo Kim, Simon Fraser University showcased SFU’s strength in agritech and how the newly launched Global Institute for Agritech can advance agritech innovation through research and collaboration. 💪 Collectively, BC’s research and innovation expertise in agritech is ready to solve grand challenges! ✅ The panel on Indigenous agriculture provided unique insights into the challenges and opportunities for enhancing Indigenous youth participation in our food systems. Moderated by Candice Loring, Director, Business Development and Indigenous Relations, Genome British Columbia BC, the panel featured Mark Brajer, MBA, P.Eng, ICD.D Brajer, CEO, Tsartlip Group of Companies, Loren Muth, Councilor, Tzeachten First Nation, and Dr. Laila Benkrima Benkrima, BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation. Key takeaways: ✴️ The Indigenous economy is part of the overall economy – we all are responsible for it. ✴️ Protecting and revitalizing traditions and knowledge is critical for Indigenous food sovereignty and security, but it is also complex – we need inclusive solutions. ✴️ Engaging youth in agriculture at an early age is critical – education has an important role to play. ❇️ BC can provide leadership with strong partnerships. BCCAI is committed to turning learning into actionable items and creating value for our partners in BC’s food system. Thank you to all our participants and attendees for investing time and curiosity! Termeh M., Christopher Duffin, Janet Webber, Seth Erais, Carson Li, Ankit Popli #agritech #Innovation #BritishColumbia #Collaboration #agriculture #agrifood

🚜 Advance Your Agrology Skills with Data-Driven Insights! 🌱 Join BCCAI & PRSSS for the inaugural Agrology Data Seminar Series featuring Franco Lopez Campomanes, PAg! This session covers sourcing and analyzing climate data to understand BC’s changing weather patterns and their impact on agriculture 🌦️ 📅 Date: Nov 28, 2024 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM PST 📍 Location: Virtually  🔗 Register Now: https://lnkd.in/gYs4EgCU Expand your knowledge, elevate your career! #Agrology #DataScience #ClimateAgriculture #BCCAI #PRSSS 

🌿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹:  We are thrilled to present our panel on 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵: 𝗢𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 at today's BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation event: 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘍𝘶𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦: 𝘌𝘮𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘞𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘤𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘚𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯! This insightful session will bring together leaders from Indigenous communities to discuss both the challenges and vital opportunities for enhancing Indigenous youth participation in the AAF sectors. ✨ 𝗣𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝘀:  Mark Brajer, MBA, P.Eng, ICD.D, 𝗖𝗘𝗢, 𝗧𝘀𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗽 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀  Mark Brajer joined Tsartlip Group of Companies (TGoC) in February 2024 as Chief Executive Officer. Mark is responsible for overseeing the economic development and all business operations, subsidiary companies, and joint ventures. Mr. Brajer currently sits on the boards of Canadian Council for Indigenous Business (CCIB), the First Nation Business Development Association (FNBDA), is a Senior Fellow with Arctic 360 and has served on many community and not-for-profit boards across the country. Loren Muth, 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗿, 𝗧𝘇𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻  Loren has served as an elected Councillor for the Ch'iyaqtel (Tzeachten) First Nation in Stó꞉lō territory for the past eight years. Throughout his career, he has championed various initiatives focused on food security, environmental stewardship, clean energy, waste reduction, local and post-secondary education, and community health. His global travels have fostered a deep appreciation for the interconnectedness of the natural world. Dr. Laila Benkrima, 𝗔𝗴𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗼𝗺𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗕𝗖𝗖𝗔𝗜 Laila holds a Ph.D. in life sciences, specializing in plant breeding, and a master's degree in plant biology from Paris University, France. She has forged strong connections with BC companies, government agencies, and post-secondary institutions, driving innovation, sustainability, and market competitiveness. Additionally, she is dedicated to support the integration of First Nations' traditional knowledge to enhance local food production in remote regions. We look forward to an enriching and thought-provoking discussion! #IndigenousKnowledge #AgriTechInnovation #SustainableAgriculture #IndigenousLeadership #LandStewardship #FoodSecurity #TraditionalKnowledge #AgInnovation #FutureOfFarming #BCAgriculture 

🌿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗽:  We are excited to introduce the next two experts who will be sharing their valuable insights at the BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation’s upcoming event. These speakers bring a wealth of experience and a passion for shaping the future of BC's agriculture and agri-food sectors: 🌾 Anubhav Pratap-Singh  Dr. Anubhav Pratap-Singh, currently holding the BC Ministry of Agriculture Endowed Professorship in Food and Beverage Innovation at the University of British Columbia (UBC), is a leading expert in food fortification and safety. With a wealth of experience in R&D and industrial projects, Dr. Pratap-Singh has supervised numerous graduate and postdoctoral projects, contributing to advancements in areas such as pulsed light sterilization, tea fortification, and novel delivery systems for bioactive compounds.  🌾 Colin Bradley   Colin is currently the Associate Dean Research in the Faculty of Engineering and Computer Science. Prior academic and administrative positions include Professor of Mechanical Engineering; Canada Research Chair; and Visiting Research Fellow at the National University of Singapore. Advanced Systems Institute and represented UVic’s researchers participating in this provincial research funding organization. In this role he interacted closely with B.C.’s technology sector, industry associations, and supported a diverse group of graduate students Stay tuned for more speaker announcements! 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱! 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/g3KMxykb #Agritech #AgriTechInnovation #SustainableAgriculture #FutureOfFarming #AgSkills #WorkforceDevelopment #BCAgriculture #AgTechLeadership #InnovativeFarming 

🌿 𝗡𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗽:  We are excited to introduce more expert speakers at the BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation at Simon Fraser University's upcoming event. Following our first two incredible speakers, we are pleased to highlight: 🌾 Paul Adams Dr. Paul Adams earned his PhD from the University of British Columbia in 2010, focusing on the genetics of migraine headaches. Following this, he completed a four-year postdoctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins University, where he studied the genetics of Parkinson's disease. Over the past seven years, he has spearheaded the establishment of Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Applied Genomics Centre, where he now serves as Director. 🌾 Woo Soo Kim   Dr. Woo Soo Kim specializes in Advanced 3D printing of sensors and robotic systems. As the founding director of the Global Institute for Agritech at Simon Fraser University, he collaborates with a multi-disciplinary team of 13 faculty members to develop advanced agritech technologies such as AI, IoT sensors, and drone/robot systems. Currently, he is focused on designing and prototyping 3D printed drones, crop protecting robots, and AI algorithms for agricultural applications. Stay tuned for more exciting speakers and their game-changing insights into the future of BC's agriculture and agri-food sectors! 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱! 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/g3KMxykb #Agritech #AgriTechInnovation #SustainableAgriculture #FutureOfFarming #AgSkills #WorkforceDevelopment #BCAgriculture #AgTechLeadership #InnovativeFarming 

We are thrilled to introduce our speaker lineup for the BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation Centre for Agritech Innovation at Simon Fraser University's upcoming event: 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚: 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. As part of our panel to discuss how BC’s world-class universities can support 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 to address pressing challenges such as climate change, sustainability, and labour shortages, facing in BC’s agriculture and agri-food sectors, we will have:  🌾 𝗝𝗼𝗵𝗻 𝗖𝗵𝘂𝗿𝗰𝗵   Dr. John Church is a Professor in Natural Resource Science at Thompson Rivers University Kamloops, BC, and TRU’s Regional Innovation Chair in Cattle Industry Sustainability. Dr. Church is an expert on production practices on the behavior and management of cattle, elk and bison on farms. His current research program is using drones for Precision Ranching, with a goal towards improved management of both the animals and the land base they depend on. 🌾 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗱  Dr. Renee Prasad is an Associate Professor and Head of the Agriculture Technology Dept at the University of the Fraser Valley. An alumnus of the University of Victoria, Simon Fraser University and Washington State University, Dr. Prasad’s research interests include pest management, agroecology, and field production of vegetable, berry and forage crops. She enjoys teaching the Agriculture Technology certificate and diploma programs to help the next generation of farmers be future-ready, by focusing on evidence-based practices. 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱! 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/g3KMxykb #Agritech #AgriTechInnovation #SustainableFarming #ClimateSmartAgriculture #AgSkills #WorkforceDevelopment #BCAgriculture #InnovationInAg #FarmTech #DigitalFarming

🌿 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗞𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 + 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿:  We are excited to introduce our keynote speaker and moderator at BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation Centre for Agritech Innovation’s upcoming event, 𝘾𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙞𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚: 𝙀𝙢𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘼𝙜𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙝 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙛𝙤𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙎𝙪𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙄𝙣𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. These dynamic leaders will guide our discussions, bringing unique perspectives and facilitate thought-provoking conversations around the intersection of, agriculture, Indigenous knowledge and innovation. ✨𝗞𝗲𝘆𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗦𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿: Gabriel Youtsey 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿, University of California, Davis Gabriel Youtsey is the Chief Innovation Officer at the University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources (UC ANR), where he leads statewide efforts to responsibly accelerate agrifood technology development and commercialization in California. As a next-generation entrepreneurial leader, Youtsey is committed to advancing sustainable, climate-smart agriculture and fostering rural job growth. Before joining UC ANR, Youtsey held technology leadership roles at UC Davis and in the private sector, managing national projects, developing multi-organizational strategies and leading complex initiatives. Gabriel will kick off our event with a session on establishing a world-class agritech training program and engaging with Indigenous communities. ✨ 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: Candice Loring  𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗕𝗖 As Genome BC’s Director of Indigenous Relations and Initiatives, Candice Loring K’wiloo’km N’kwala is working to advance the Indigenous innovation ecosystem. Candice is also an Adjunct Professor in the Faculty of Management at UBC Okanagan. She held the role of Senior Advisor, Indigenous Relations & Initiatives in Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at Mitacs. In 2021, Candice was recognized as one of Canada’s most inspirational women entrepreneurs and business leaders by Canadian SME Small Business Magazine for her economic development work in Indigenous communities. She is a Ch’nook scholar scholarship recipient named Kelowna’s 2022 BDO Top 40 Under 40. As an integral voice within the community, Candice will bring invaluable insights into how traditional knowledge can guide the future of agriculture and food security in BC. 🌟 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗽 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻, 𝗳𝗲𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗕𝗖’𝘀 𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀! 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱! 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://lnkd.in/g3KMxykb

🚜🌱 Exciting news for those passionate about the future of agriculture! I'll be facilitating a panel on agritech and innovation at Our Future in Agriculture, hosted by Community Futures Cariboo Chilcotin in partnership with Thompson Rivers University.     This panel event on November 16, 2024, will bring together producers to discuss cutting-edge technologies, including infrared seeding, fertilizing drones, fertigation systems, and livestock watering advancements. The panel promises inspiring discussions on technology’s role in shaping a sustainable and profitable agricultural landscape.      The BC Centre for Agritech Innovation (BCCAI) is proud to support this event, where we’re committed to empowering the agritech sector and facilitating collaborations. This is a fantastic opportunity to connect, learn, and discuss the potential of agritech in enhancing regional farming practices.     👉 Contact lauren@cfdccariboo.com now to secure your spot and join us in shaping the future of agriculture.     #Agritech #innovation #BCCAI #SFU #foodsecurity #SFUPartnershipHub #WilliamsLake #AgInnovation #SustainableFarming #PrecisionAgriculture  #AgricultureTechnology #FutureOfFarming #DigitalFarming  #FoodSecurity #IoTInAgriculture Lauren Bedford, Christopher Duffin, Rahul Singh, BCCAI - BC Centre for Agritech Innovation