Global Food Demand is Growing, Canada Has a Big Role to Play

Global Food Demand is Growing, Canada Has a Big Role to Play

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Canada's Growing Role in Global Food Security

Canada’s vast and fertile lands have allowed it to become an absolute agricultural powerhouse. Exporting more than half of our total annual food production, Canadians consistently rank among the top five global agricultural exporters [1] while playing an oversized role in helping to feed the world.

But more than just an essential part of global food security, agriculture, for many Canadians, is an inherent part of our nation’s identity. Countless farms have existed for decades, if not more than a century, as these families pass down knowledge and traditions to new generations of farmers that we will one day rely on. They too will play a critical role in the economy, directly and indirectly supporting millions of jobs, providing much-needed supplies for the processing, manufacturing, and retail agri-food subsectors, and accounting for roughly 7% of our nation’s economic output every year [1]. 

Below, we explore three BIG reasons why Canada should be a go-to supplier of choice for agricultural products and why supporting the sector’s growth should be an obvious choice for all Canadians.

3 Reasons Why the World Needs More Canadian Agriculture

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#1 – Global food demand is rising to support a growing world

Global demand for food is accelerating at an unprecedented rate to feed an ever-growing population - expected to reach 9.8 billion by 2050 [2]. According to HSBC Global Research, total food consumption will likely rise by 50-70% between now and then [3].

This massive surge in food demand presents an opportunity for Canadian farmers and our country at large.

Primary agriculture – just one of many subsectors encompassing activities carried out on farms, nurseries, and greenhouses – serves as a critical economic contributor nationwide. It generates approximately $36.3 billion in GDP (1.8% of the national total) and supports 249,900 jobs across 189,874 farms [4]. These farms operate on roughly 62.2 million hectares, representing 6.2% of Canada's total land area and are primarily concentrated in the Prairies, Quebec, and Southern Ontario [4]. Over the past 50 years, the average size of farms in Canada has nearly doubled, driven by consolidation and technological advancements [4].

With continued research and development, collaboration between industry and governments, and further capital investment, Canada can continue to develop a strategic vision for the agri-food sector that will help facilitate expanded access to growing global markets [5]. Doing so will also further advance the economic benefits seen here at home for Canadian families and governments.

According to the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, Canada needs to [5]:

  • Commit to improving physical infrastructure that reliably transports agricultural products to and from market
  • Abandon anti-replacement worker legislation to reduce volatility and disruption to supply chain processes
  • Address transportation bottlenecks and supply chain vulnerabilities by advancing physical and digital infrastructure across the board

As international markets seek reliable and safe food sources, Canada's role as the fifth-largest global agri-food exporter becomes increasingly vital. With approximately half of our production already feeding international markets, Canada stands ready to help meet the world's growing appetite for high-quality agricultural products. 

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#2 – Canada plays an essential role in global food security

In the next 40 years, the world will need to produce the equivalent of all the food produced in the last 10,000 years [5]. That’s no small feat. And with food insecurity on the rise domestically and globally, there is an urgent need to enhance the productivity of our farms.

Are Canadians ready to rise to this challenge?

According to Farm Credit Canada (FCC), our country can further enhance global food security by:

a) Increasing its own food production available to world markets [6]

To restore global grain stocks to peak levels of 2016-17, global production needs to increase by approximately 6%. As part of this effort, Canada's contribution would need to be around 18 million tonnes, representing a 28% growth in production over the next decade [6]. This increase would elevate Canada's share of global crop exports from 8% to over 11%, potentially leading to a projected 7% reduction in global food prices [6].

b) Providing technical assistance in the form of potash to food-insecure countries [6]

Additionally, Canada's role as the world's largest producer and exporter of potash – controlling about 45% of global reserves – positions it uniquely to support global food security [6]. By leveraging its status as a fertilizer powerhouse, Canada can help increase agricultural productivity worldwide. Today, around half of the world’s population is estimated to rely on food grown using synthetic fertilizers [7].

The impact of these combined efforts - increased crop production and fertilizer exports - could potentially reduce the number of food-insecure people by nearly 350 million, representing a massive 36% decrease from current levels [6].

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#3 – Canada’s reputation for high-quality, safe-to-eat food

The world needs more food, but it should also be safe to consume. That’s where Canada’s world-class agricultural regulatory bodies shine. Our country has one of the safest food supplies in the world, according to the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada [8].

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), for example, provides services to regulate all sorts of agricultural products in Canada to help protect the health and well-being of Canadians and our trade partners abroad. It conducts nearly 3,000 food safety investigations every year.

A few ways the CFIA keeps Canada’s food supplies safe include:

#1 – Licensing - Stringent regulatory laws reflecting the latest international standards and collaboration with industry, consumers and other stakeholders. The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations helps Canadian food businesses improve access to the U.S. and other key global markets [9].

#2 – Traceability – Requires Canadian food exporters to document where they grow or produce food, or where they bought it from, and who they are selling it to. This reduces the time to notify foreign counterparts in the event that a food product needs to be recalled [9].

#3 – Export Controls - Preventative controls must be in place before exporters send food to buyers abroad, which includes a written preventative control plan. Canadians must know their food product so that it meets internationally accepted standards for safety, grading, standards, labelling, and quantity [9]. Exporters must also be familiar with their foreign market and that their food product meets requirements abroad [9].

The Safe Food for Canadians Regulations well position Canadian exporters to meet growing global demand for their food products worldwide.

Join Us Today!

Supporting Canada's agricultural sector means a stronger and more prosperous future for our families while reinforcing our role as a go-to food supplier.

Join us online to learn more about Canada's vital agriculture industry - from our world-leading pulse exports to our premium beef production, from our exceptional farming practices to our cutting-edge food processing sector - and discover the overwhelmingly positive impact Canadian agriculture has on families both at home and around the globe. With our record-setting farm incomes, stringent food safety standards, and position as the fifth-largest global agri-food exporter, Canadian agriculture continues to feed the world while strengthening our national prosperity.

As long as the world needs food, it should be Canadian!

SOURCES

1 - https://agriculture.canada.ca/en/sector/overview

2 - https://www.un.org/en/desa/world-population-projected-reach-98-billion-2050-and-112-billion-2100

3 - https://www.research.hsbc.com/C/1/1/320/WgCK7Wv

4 - https://thoughtleadership.cibc.com/article/how-technology-is-helping-farmers-feed-a-changing-world/

5 - https://chamber.ca/policy-matters-advancing-canadas-agriculture-and-agri-food-sector/

6 - https://www.fcc-fac.ca/en/knowledge/economics/canada-role-global-food-security

7 - https://ourworldindata.org/fertilizers

8 - https://fvgc.ca/industry-standards-and-food-safety/

9 - https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-safety-industry/video/exporting-food-video