The University of Calgary plans to launch a program to change how society perceives and interacts with the food system, funded by a $1 million donation from BMO.
The program is called Ag Literacy for Healthier People and Planet, and will “help build understanding about the complexities of the agricultural system” and the role food plays in healthy people and planet, the university said in a news release yesterday.
The university’s Simpson Centre for Food and Agricultural Policy will research and do outreach on the food system over about five years “to foster a deeper understanding of the food choices we make and inform the design of agricultural policies,” it said.
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This will be done in partnership with 13 Canadian universities and Stanford University in the U.S.
“The program will deliver a variety of written, digital resources to educate the public on controversial issues in the food system like the use of GMO, pesticides, and food labels, also surveying consumer knowledge, and actively engaging with citizens,” the news release said.
“The program is designed to reach a broad range of audiences, including formal stakeholders such as research, industry, and government, as well as informal audiences such as consumers and citizens,” said Guillaume Lhermie, director of the Simpson Centre.
“We are particularly focused on engaging young adults and teenagers who are active on social media and eager to participate in shaping the future of food systems.
