Newsletter

September 2016
ACE NEWSLETTER
September 2016
Agriculture Centre of Excellence Newsletter
Agriculture Centre of Excellence
The Agriculture Centre of Excellence at the University of the Fraser Valley promotes and champions a network of innovation in
agriculture education, technology and research. The Centre facilitates knowledge transfer by acting as a coordinating hub to bring
together expertise from established institutions and organizations
in areas of plant and animal production, food safety, agribusiness, policy, and technology development.
Newsletter Contents

Overview of ACE &
ACE Network

ACE Research

Current Activities

Upcoming Events
ACE Network
The ACE Network is a consortium of post-secondary education
institutions, governments and industry associations to collaborate
on the research and development, education and knowledge
transfer needs of the agrifood sector. Currently the postsecondary institutions that are participating in the development of
the Network are: University of the Fraser Valley, Kwantlen Polytechnique University, University of British Columbia, Thompson
Rivers University, Vancouver island University, Okanagan College, British Columbia Institute of Technology and UBCOkanagan. Industry has been represented by the BC Agriculture
Council, BC Food Processors, BC Salmon Farmers, and the BC
Blueberry Council. Both the Bc Ministry of Agriculture and Agriculture and Agrifood Canada have provided significant support
for the development of the Network. Membership is not closed
and we look forward to collaborating with all BC post-secondary
institutions and increased interest from industry.
Www.ufv.ca/ACE
Stay up to date
with ACE
www.ufv.ca/ACE
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@UFVACE
Current ACE
Research
ACE supports the BC
Hazelnut Association
research program, that
is aiming to revitalize
the sector through variety trails and a new
marketing strategy.
ACE received $25K
from the Abbotsford
Community Foundation
to support the
“Building Agricultural
Resilience through Diversification” research
project. The project includes field trials, a
marketing strategy and
the creation of a database of underutilized
agricultural land in Abbotsford. Up to 7 student research assistants will be hired over
the next 2 years.
ACE will hire a student
research assistant to
create a handbook of
low-tech urban agriculture technologies suitable for less developed
communities around
the world.
Dr. Alex Awiti (AKU) arguing for an informed approach to food security policy planning.
Cities and Food Conference
The Cities and Food Conference brought together a diverse group to
discuss urban food security challenges. The event also showcased
current research conducted by UFV Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Scholars in East Africa, that are examining both formal and informal food systems in the region.
Participants on Day 1 visited four locations including; Petkov Kiwi Productions, Absorbent Concepts Inc, an organic certified facility hemp
seed processor, Krauss Berry Farms (which also provided lunch) and
lastly was a visit to the Surrey BioPods, a UFV agriculture training and
research demonstration greenhouse in partnership with the John
Volken Academy.
On Day 2 the Cities and Food conference hosted Alex Awiti (Aga Khan
University—Nairobi), Jonathon Crush (Wilfred Laurier University), Riziki Shemdoe (Ardhi Regional University—Dar es Salaam), Lena Bloemertz (Basel University—Switzerland), Cherie Enns (UFV) Garry Fehr
(UFV), many UFV and AKU student scholars, plus a dozen local experts
from NGOs and government. They discussed a variety of issues including land-use planning, food sovereignty, the role of research and
technology, policy planning, the “water, food, energy and food nexus”,
and system sustainability.
Highlights of the conference can be viewed from our YouTube links
listed below:
City & Food Conference Highlights
UFV Cities & Food Keynote speaker Dr. Alex Awiti
UFV Cities & Food, Hard Talks Q&A
Surrey Biopods
The Surrey Biopods located at John Volken Academy have been
established through an innovative partnership of the City of Surrey,
the John Volken Academy, and the University of the Fraser Valley,
with provincial and federal funding administered by Investment Agriculture Foundation. The state-of-the-art greenhouse technologies are
used for research, training, and the production of food for consumption at the Academy and for sale in the Price Pro store.
The high ceilings of the greenhouses are designed to provide a more
stable growing environment and to reduce energy costs. The external poly covering on the southern greenhouse is being tested for its
high diffusion properties to produce higher yields than the northern
greenhouse that works as a control. Both greenhouses are lined with
a high thermicity poly that traps the heat reflected from the growing
beds and ground inside the greenhouses to further reduce energy
costs. Currently, we are testing Affinor’s vertical growing system and
early results demonstrate greatly increased yields per square metre
of floor space that should be possible throughout the year. In the
coming year we expect to be testing a water harvesting system, led
lights for enhancing the growing environment, robotics and hydronic
heating systems. The partners are working towards organic certification of the food produced in the greenhouses.
The Biopods are also used to provide training to the John Volken
Academy students. UFV combines the research and food production
with horticulture training so that students can graduate from the program with a Statement of Completion of the Greenhouse Horticulture
Technician Program, which will include certificates in food safety,
pesticide application and WHIMIS. The training will prepare students
for employment in the greenhouse sector and the education will be
recognized at UFV should students wish to continue their studies in
the Horticulture Diploma program.
Inside the Surrey Biopod Greenhouse
Strawberries growing in an Affinor
Vertical Growing System
Affinor Vertical
Growing Systems
Affinor Vertical Growing Systems
are demonstrating one of their
vertical systems at the Surrey
BioPods. By taking advantage of
the vertical space in the greenhouse and utilizing individually
supplied water and nutrients.
The system is expected to provide more than 10 times the production per square meter than
conventional bed growing systems.
Upcoming Events...
Feeding Nine Billion
Challenge
The Feeding 9 Billion Challenge takes place November 5 &
6, 2016.
Interdisciplinary groups of 3-5 students will be given 24
hours to develop and propose a solution to a sustainable
food system problem. The proposals will be presented to a
panel of judges, ‘Dragons Den’ style and the winning team
will win $1000. Winning teams will also have the opportunity to present their ideas at a national contest and possibly
go on to an international competition. All teams will be given the opportunity to develop their idea into a market ready
prototype during the Winter 2017 semester.
Feeding Nine Billion
Contact Us
Agriculture Centre of
Excellence
University of the Fraser
Valley
Building F
33844 King Road
Abbotsford, BC
Canada V2S 7M8
(555) 555-0123
[email protected]
[email protected]
Visit us on the web at
www.ufv.ca/ACE