Canada-in-Asia Conference 2024: Agri-Food

Canada-in-Asia
Conferences 2024

Agri-food

February 26-27, 2024 | Pan Pacific Singapore | #CIAC2024

CIAC2024: Agri-food was followed by its counterpart, CIAC2024: Climate Solutions. General admission rate C$300 per conference, or C$500 for both. Reduced pricing was available for alumni of Canadian universities using discount code ALUMNI2024.

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ABOUT THE CONFERENCE

CIAC2024: Agri-food

CIAC2024: Agri-food took place February 26-27, 2024, at the Pan Pacific Singapore. It convened leaders from the private sector, governments, universities, and other institutions from across Asia and Canada in agri-food and related sectors for two days of networking and inter-disciplinary discussion on some of the most pressing issues in the Canada-Asia agri-food space. Importantly, CIAC2024: Agri-food exposed key leaders in Asia to Canadian thinking and capabilities in agriculture and agri-food while ensuring that Canadian players benefit from the experiences and perspectives of leaders from across Asia. Sessions focused on food security and Canadian contributions to food security across Asia; sustainability in agriculture and agri-food, including technologies and management; and opportunities for collaboration in agtech, biotech, water tech, and agricultural science.

CIAC2024: Agri-food was followed by its counterpart, CIAC2024: Climate Solutions.

Carbon Offsets

APF Canada and Universities Canada recognize the domestic and international benefits of carbon offsets as a tool to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint wherever possible, including through the purchase of carbon offsets for airline travel. To learn more about acquiring carbon offsets when booking air travel, please see this example from Air Canada’s Choose program.

Speakers

CIAC2024: Agri-food speakers and panellists were leading minds and decision-makers in Asia and Canada, including dynamic business leaders, investors, government ministers, and senior researchers. And more to come...

Santiago Alba-Corral

International Development Research Centre (Canada)

Jay Allen

Global Affairs Canada (Canada)

A.K.M. Fareyzul Haque Ansarey

ACI Agribusinesses Division (Bangladesh)

Chris Aurand

Thai Union Group (Thailand)

Brian Bedard

Alinea International (Canada)

Angela Bedard-Haughan

University of Saskatchewan (Canada)

Caroline Berube

HJM Asia Law & Co LLC (China)

Stan Blade

University of Alberta (Canada)

S.M Bokhtiar

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (Bangladesh)

Laurel Broten

Invest in Canada (Canada)

Ankur Chaudhary

The Good Food Institute APAC (Singapore)

Samuel Chan

Singapore Economic Development Board (Singapore)

Amy Chua

Grow Asia (Philippines)

Julie Delahanty

International Development Research Centre (Canada)

John Diener

Vertical Oceans (Singapore)

Kathleen Donohue

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (Canada)

Greg Eidsness

Government of Saskatchewan Office in Singapore (Singapore)

Grace Fu

Republic of Singapore (Singapore)

Xiuling Guo

Nurasa (Singapore)

Bill Greuel

Protein Industries Canada (Canada)

Hafimi Abdul Haadii

LVK Group of Companies (Brunei Darussalam)

Dave Henderson

XPV Water Partners (Canada)

Zeng-Yei Hsu

National Taiwan University (Taiwan)

Natrah Ikhsan

Universiti Putra Malaysia (Malaysia)

Diedrah Kelly

Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office (Philippines)

Agenda

9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Pacific Ballroom 2 & 3

Opening Plenary

A focus on food security across the Asia Pacific region and identifying specific needs in different sub-regional and national contexts. How can Canadian companies contribute to food security priorities in different parts of Asia? Scene setting by a keynote speaker, followed by discussion with government representatives.

Welcome remarks:

Jeff Nankivell

President & CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Peter Stoicheff

President, University of Saskatchewan

Keynote 1 [Food Security challenge in Asia]:

Xiuling Guo

CEO, Nurasa

Keynote 2 [Canada’s role and value in addressing the above]:

Kathleen Donohue

Assistant Deputy Minister, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada and Vice President, Canadian Food Inspection Agency

10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Pacific Ballroom 1

Concurrent Sessions

a. Agri-tech Policy: Comparing Canadian and Asian Approaches

Catalyzing the development and deployment of next-generation agri-technologies requires supportive ecosystems with intelligent partners. What do national-level agri-tech policy frameworks look like in Canada and different parts of Asia? Where can we promote Canada-Asia learning, co-operation, and business opportunities?

Caroline Berube

HJM Asia Law & Co LLC, and Chair, Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Singapore (moderator)

Woo Soo Kim

Scientific Director, BC Centre for AgriTech Innovation, Simon Fraser University (Canada)

Rickey Yada

Dean, Land and Food Systems, University of British Columbia (Canada)

Chris Aurand

Open Innovation Leader, Thai Union Food (SpaceF incubator)

Ocean 4 & 5

b. Seafood Partnerships

With increasing seafood demand in Asia, and Canada well positioned as a quality provider, where are opportunities for Canada and Asia to partner? What could Canadian producers learn about remaining competitive in Asia’s evolving seafood markets? What are the opportunities for technology co-operation?

Kelvin Ng

Green Bridge Partners (Singapore) (moderator)

Essam Mohammed

WorldFish (Malaysia)

John Diener

Vertical Oceans (Singapore)

Natrah Ikhsan

Universiti Putra Malaysia

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Pacific Ballroom 2 & 3

Lunch Session

Julie Delahanty, President, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

in conversation with Jeff Nankivell, President & CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

Julie Delahanty

President, International Development Research Centre (IDRC)

Jeff Nankivell

President & CEO, Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Concurrent Sessions

Pacific Ballroom 1

a. Protein Innovations

Plant-based proteins. Next-generation protein sources. Ingredient manufacturing and food processing. Innovations in protein technologies and products offer bountiful opportunities for co-operation between and among suppliers, manufacturers, and researchers in Canada and across Asia.

Peter Stoicheff

President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Saskatchewan (moderator)

Bill Greuel

Protein Industries Canada

Ankur Chaudhury

Good Food Institute (Singapore)

Mihir Pershad

Ocean 4 & 5

b. Water

With global water demand expected to rise significantly in coming years as we tackle food security challenges, water scarcity will intensify, increasing the need for the development and deployment of intelligent and sustainable water technologies. Where are opportunities for the private sector to contribute to water priorities across Asia? How can public-private partnerships be better leveraged to meet growing water demands?

Edward McCauley

President & Vice-Chancelor, University of Calgary (Canada)

Dave Henderson

XPV Water Partners (Canada)

Mark Nicol

Mobiltex (Singapore)

Karen Schuett

Livestock Water Recycling

3:00 p.m. Onward

Open Networking

5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Reception

Pacific Ballroom Foyer

8:00 a.m. - 9:00 a.m.

Canada-ASEAN Business Council – APF Canada Joint Session

Pacific Ballroom 1

Canada's Role in Advancing Regional Food Security in ASEAN

As a diverse grouping of 10 countries, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) faces many unique and complex challenges to ensuring long-term food security. From large and vast countries such as Indonesia to smaller, import-dependent countries such as Singapore, all ASEAN countries face the three-pronged issue of rising food demand, pressing need for sustainability in the food system, and affordable access to food amidst rising inflation. Countries in ASEAN are also now prioritizing nutritional value and food quality in order to prevent illness and maintain healthy populations - creating immense opportunities for Canada from both a commercial and developmental perspective. This panel will feature an in-depth discussion around the potential for more Canada-ASEAN agriculture and agri-food partnerships to promote regional food security.

Greg Eidsness

Saskatchewan Singapore Office (Canada) (moderator)

Diedrah Kelly

Canada’s Indo-Pacific Agriculture and Agri-Food Office

Alain Roy

International Partnerships, Colleges and Institutes Canada

The Hon. Brad Wall

Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt LLP (Canada)

Samuel Chan

Vice President and Head of Americas and of Agrifood at the Singapore Economic Development Board

Julian Voss

Special Project Consultant, No Meat Factory and Plantrients

9:15 a.m. - 10:15 a.m.

Opening Plenary

Pacific Ballroom 2 & 3

Investing in Sustainable Agri-food Systems

Moderated discussion with the private sector and leading financial institutions.

How are institutional investors in Asia and in Canada conceptualizing opportunities in global agriculture and agri-food markets? What are the opportunities they’re pursuing most vigorously, and how can major investors bridge opportunity and need, particularly in rapidly growing markets in Asia?

Laurel Broten

CEO, Invest in Canada (Canada)

Ryan Rakestraw

Director, Investment (Agri-Food), Temasek (Singapore)

Beverley Postma

Executive Director, Grow Asia (Singapore)

Santiago Alba-Corral

Director, Climate-Resilient Food Systems, International Development Research Centre (Canada)

10:45 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.

Ocean 4 & 5

Concurrent Session

a. Sustainability, Yields, and Fertilizers

Global food production must expand to meet growing demand. This session explores new technologies and innovative methods being deployed in Asia to increase food production. Fertilizers are an important component of meeting that increased demand, and Canadian fertilizers can continue to play an active role in growing Asia’s food production and meeting Asia’s food security goals.

Angela Bedard-Haughn

University of Saskatchewan (Canada)

F. H. Ansarey

Managing Director, ACI Agro Ltd (Bangladesh)

Zeng-Yei Hseu

Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University

Emily Monville-Oro

International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (Philippines)

Pacific Ballroom 1

b. Preventing Food Loss and Waste Through Innovation

The United Nations estimates that 13% of global food production is lost between harvest and the store and that a further 17% is wasted at home, in the food service sector, and in retail environments. Food loss and waste contributes 38% of the global food system’s energy use. Where are opportunities for Canadian and Asian companies, institutions, and governments to co-operate to reduce food loss and waste?

Stanford Blade

University of Alberta (Canada) (moderator)

S.M. Bokhtiar

Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council

Sue Paish

TELUS International (Canada)

Steven Webb

Global Institute for Food Security (Canada)

Kanchana Wanichkorn

Director, Sectoral Development, ASEAN Secretariat

12:00 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.

Pacific Ballroom 2 & 3

Lunch Session

Keynote Presentation by Jay Allen, Director General, Trade Negotiations Global Affairs Canada, Government of Canada

Jay Allen

Director General, Trade Negotiations Global Affairs Canada, Government of Canada

Hafimi Abdul Haadi

Executive Director, LVK Group of Companies (Brunei Darussalam)

2:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Ocean 4 & 5

Concurrent Session

a. Connecting Agri-food Markets in Canada and Asia: Investment, Distribution and Supply Chains

Ensuring that quality food reaches consumers is complex and requires complementary trade and investment structures and relationships, reliable commercial partnerships, as well as quality built infrastructure to facilitate the timely movement of goods. This session focuses on linking Asia and Canada through sustainable and resilient supply chains and opportunities for providers of both sides of the Pacific to connect with markets and consumers.

Ha Nguyen

Government of Saskatchewan Office in Vietnam (moderator)

Vishal Vijay

Agrocorp (Singapore)

Peter Ng

Global Trade Director – Agri-food, Export Development Canada

Amy Chua

Grow Asia (Philippines)

Janelle Whitley

Pulse Canada

Pacific Ballroom 1

b. Investing in Canada-Asia Agri-food Safety

Ensuring high standards keeps people fed and keeps economies moving. This session will explore current dynamics and trends around the harmonization of food safety standards and regulations. It will also highlight efforts underway to resolve jurisdictional differences, reduce non-tariff barriers, and promote free and more predictable trade.