Agricultural Climate Solutions Program
The following agriculture sector organization types are eligible to apply for Step 1 and Step 2 of this program:
- not-for-profit organizations, including producer organizations
- Indigenous groups
Eligible applicants must be legal entities capable of entering into legally binding agreements. For both grant and contribution funding, eligible activities must be carried out within Canada.
Successful applicants will be required to develop a network of project participants to implement their comprehensive project proposal based on the living lab model. Project participants may include:
- Indigenous groups
- producers
- not-for-profit organizations
- for-profit organizations
- academic institutions
- other federal government departments, including AAFC
- provincial / territorial departments and agencies
- municipal governments
The goal of the Agricultural Climate Solutions Program (ACS) is to accelerate co-development, testing, adoption, dissemination and monitoring of technologies and practices, including beneficial management practices (BMPs), that sequester carbon and/or mitigate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Through a collaborative approach, projects will focus on the on-farm co-development, testing, adoption and monitoring of new BMPs and technologies. Projects funded under ACS will follow the living lab innovation model. A living lab is an integrated approach to agricultural innovation that brings together farmers, scientists, and other participants to co-develop, test, and monitor new BMPs and technologies in a real-life context where they will be used: on Canadian farms. More information about the living lab model and its core principles can be found in the Living Laboratories Initiative.
ACS will consider projects within the following 2 priority areas:
- Carbon sequestration (for example, cover crops, intercropping, conversion of marginal land to permanent cover, shelterbelts, inclusion of pulses in rotations)
- Greenhouse gas mitigation (for example, nutrient management, feeding strategies)
Please note that during the 2021-22 funding cycle, the emphasis will be on supporting proposals that include the advancement of carbon sequestration as an important part of their project activities.
In addition, projects should indicate if they could support the achievement of other relevant environmental benefits, such as:
- improving soil health and water quality
- water conservation
- increasing biodiversity
- maximizing habitat capacity
The aim of the 2021 grant funding is to facilitate establishing a Canada-wide network of living labs. Eligible organizations in all provinces are welcome to submit their applications for 2021 grant funding to support the preparation of proposals leading to the development of living labs in their province. Please note that while the 2021 granting process is open across the country, the focus will be placed on helping organizations in provinces that currently do not host a living lab established as part of the Living Laboratories Initiative - Collaborative Program (LLI-CP, 2018-23). Currently, provinces of Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba each host a living lab under LLI-CP.
A second call for grant proposals will be offered in 2022.