The Research > Supply and Urban Agriculture > Agri-Food Training and Education

Agri-Food Training and Education

Project Description

The agricultural workforce must adapt to new realities brought by climate change, emerging technologies, and an aging workforce. The FAI is researching and developing new training materials that support individuals who are currently employed in or beginning their careers in the agri-food sector, to understand the challenges and opportunities facing agri-food systems in Canada and abroad. Focus is placed on the development of applied and technical skills, entrepreneurial education, as well as systems thinking. Leveraging funding from the Royal Bank of Canada and the B.C. Centre for Agri-Tech Innovation, the FAI has undertaken engagement for developing training in vertical agriculture and urban food systems. Future work will develop training materials for ag-tech, agri-business, agri-food systems, and urban agriculture.

Urban Agriculture Visualization (Version 1) Demonstration

Project Outcomes

Ag-Tech Micro-Credentials in British Columbia

The Food and Agriculture Institute is developing four new micro-credentials to provide accessible training that supports the growth of BC’s Ag-Tech sector. This study explores industry trends, labour market dynamics, and talent challenges, with a focus on understanding employers’ willingness to engage in micro-credential development. The report synthesizes these findings to offer evidence-based recommendations for 51污漫’s program design, emphasizing the role of post-secondary education in addressing workforce needs in the evolving Ag-Tech industry.

Roslyn Kunin & Associates, & Human Capital Strategies. (2025). Ag-Tech micro-credentials in British Columbia: Review of and recommendations on supporting the BC Ag-Tech sector through new micro-credential training. [Report prepared for the Food and Agriculture Institute, 51污漫].

The Canadian Agriculture and Agri-food Micro-credential Landscape

In this work, the researcher reviewed the current agriculture and agri-food micro- credential offerings currently available across Canada. The researcher examined the most common micro-credential programs (i.e. suites of certifiable courses under a single program ‘theme’), course topics, as well as the cost and delivery method for each, using publicly available website data. This was with the goal to define the organization and potential administration of agriculture and agri-food micro- credentials to be offered at the 51污漫.

Glaros, A. (2024). The Canadian Agriculture and Agri-food Micro-credential Landscape. 51污漫, Abbotsford, Canada.

Vertical Agriculture Education Workshop Report

This workshop series engaged agriculture industry professionals, students, government agency representatives, food-related NPO staff, and academics in British Columbia to identify key topics and learning approaches for the development of vertical agriculture training materials and courses.

Dring, C., Cremer, A., Glaros, A., Pizzirani, S., Newell, R. & Newman, L. (2024). Vertical Agriculture Education Workshop Report. The 51污漫, Abbotsford, BC.

Vertical Agriculture in the Classroom: A global assessment of educational and training materials

As the VA industry matures, it is important to design programs and materials proactively that support greater public knowledge of this emerging technology and train qualified personnel for further scaling. This project reviews existing educational materials and presents recommendations for comprehensive training materials for students and members of the public interested in entering the vertical farming industry.

Julseth-White, S., & Glaros, A. (2024). Vertical agriculture in the classroom: A global assessment of educational and training materials, Directed Studies Report. 51污漫, Abbotsford, Canada.