The windswept fields of southwestern Ontario might seem worlds away from the marble halls of United Nations headquarters, but yesterday they became the epicenter of a global food movement. I stood among farmers, Indigenous leaders, and provincial officials as the UN launched its first-ever North American World Food Forum chapter at the University of Guelph.
“This isn’t just another talking shop,” remarked Chief Stacey Laforme of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation during the opening ceremony. “This represents a fundamental shift in how we think about food security in Canada – one that finally brings Indigenous knowledge to the table alongside agricultural science.”
The significance of choosing Ontario for this continental first cannot be overstated. The province produces over $13.8 billion in farm products annually and houses Canada’s largest agricultural research institution at the University of Guelph. But beyond the numbers lies a deeper story about changing priorities in our approach to food systems.
Ontario Agriculture Minister Lisa Thompson, speaking to a crowd of about 300 attendees, emphasized the provincial government’s commitment. “We’re investing $25 million over the next five years to support the Forum’s initiatives, particularly focusing on climate-resilient farming practices and food supply chain innovation,” Thompson said. The funding represents a rare moment of policy continuity despite the politically divisive climate that has characterized much of Queen’s Park’s recent sessions.
What struck me most was the deliberate focus on youth engagement. Nearly a third of the attendees were under 30, including student researchers from five provincial universities and representatives from 4-H clubs across Ontario. This wasn’t accidental – the UN World Food Forum explicitly targets younger generations as primary stakeholders in future food systems.
“Young people aren’t just future farmers or consumers – they’re current innovators,” explained Dr. Malcolm Campbell, Vice-President of Research at the University of Guelph. “The average age of Canadian farmers is now 55. Without bringing youth into agriculture and food policy conversations now, we’re setting ourselves up for a demographic crisis on top of our climate challenges.”
The forum arrives at a critical moment. Recent Statistics Canada data shows food insecurity affected nearly 16% of Ontario households in 2023, while simultaneously, the province’s agricultural sector faces unprecedented pressures from climate change. Last summer’s drought conditions in southwestern Ontario resulted in yield losses exceeding 40% for some corn and soybean producers, according to Ontario Federation of Agriculture reports.
These twin challenges – feeding a growing population while adapting to climate instability – formed the backbone of panel discussions throughout the day. But unlike typical policy conversations that remain firmly theoretical, this forum emphasized practical applications.
In one corner of the sprawling agricultural science complex, Indigenous knowledge-keepers demonstrated traditional food preservation techniques alongside food scientists showcasing cutting-edge preservation technologies. The symbolism wasn’t subtle – tradition and innovation sharing equal footing in addressing food security challenges.
“We don’t need to choose between ancestral wisdom and scientific advancement,” noted Elder Josephine Mandamin from the Wiikwemkoong First Nation on Manitoulin Island. “The most resilient food systems will draw from both.”
The forum’s establishment in Ontario also signals a shifting political dynamic around food security issues. Once considered primarily development concerns for the Global South, food systems resilience has become increasingly central to domestic policy across Canada.
The federal Agriculture Minister, attending virtually, pledged support for the provincial initiative while hinting at forthcoming national strategies that would align with the forum’s priorities. “Food security is national security,” the Minister stated, echoing language more commonly heard in discussions about defense or cybersecurity.
Perhaps most encouraging was the cross-partisan nature of the event. Representatives from all major provincial parties attended, suggesting that despite the polarization that characterizes much of our current political landscape, food security might provide rare common ground.
“Nobody wants hungry citizens, failing farms, or vulnerable supply chains,” Conservative MPP Randy Pettapiece told me during a coffee break. “The disagreements are about methods, not goals.”
Those disagreements weren’t entirely absent, however. During a panel on agricultural innovation, tension emerged between advocates for larger-scale technological solutions and those favoring community-based approaches. A heated exchange between an executive from a major agricultural technology company and a representative from the National Farmers Union highlighted the competing visions for agriculture’s future.
“We can’t innovate our way out of structural inequities in the food system,” argued Ayla Fenton, Ontario Regional Coordinator for the National Farmers Union. “Technology without justice just entrenches existing problems.”
As the day-long launch event concluded, organizers announced that the Ontario chapter would hold quarterly regional meetings throughout the province, with a particular focus on communities experiencing high rates of food insecurity. The next major gathering will take place in Thunder Bay this November, deliberately shifting attention to Northern Ontario’s unique food system challenges.
Walking away from the sprawling agricultural campus as evening fell, I was struck by how the forum managed to simultaneously feel hyperlocal and globally connected. Food, after all, is both our most intimate daily concern and our most universal human need. If there’s any issue that might transcend our increasingly fractured political discourse, perhaps this is it.
Whether this initiative grows into a transformative force or becomes another well-intentioned but ultimately limited effort remains to be seen. But in a political landscape often defined by short-term thinking, the World Food Forum’s emphasis on intergenerational responsibility and decades-long planning horizons offers a refreshing counterpoint.
For one day at least, in the heart of Ontario’s agricultural belt, the future of food looked a little more hopeful.
