The Canadian Agri-Food Automation and Intelligence Network (CAAIN) has announced its latest funding call with a $9-million open competition designed to support agricultural innovation.
“If we are to safeguard our domestic food supply, we must support the development and adoption of innovation that will make Canada’s farms and ranches more productive, profitable and sustainable.”
Darrell Petras, CAAIN
The federally-backed, not-for-profit dedicated to driving agricultural innovation opened the competition to applicants on March 23, stating in a news release that the focus of the funding call was to “foster advances in a sector of critical importance to the safety and sovereignty of Canada’s agri-food value chain.”
Funding for the competition comes from the federal government’s Strategic Response Fund and is administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), a federal department that supports innovation-led economic growth. Total investment will be capped at $9 million, with a limit of up to $3 million for any one project.
Darrell Petras, CEO of CAAIN, said in a statement that fostering the development and commercialization of AgTech remains vital to Canadian sovereignty and security.
“The fact is our food system is vulnerable,” he said. “If we are to safeguard our domestic food supply, we must support the development and adoption of innovation that will make Canada’s farms and ranches more productive, profitable and sustainable.”
RELATED: CAAIN seeks automation, “data-driven” AgTech projects for $6-million challenge
CAAIN’s latest funding call is focusing on bridging the gap between new AgTech intellectual property and its adoption in the commercial space. To that end, CAAIN is seeking research and innovation applicants across a few key areas of focus, including:
- Projects that advance the development, use, and value of automation and robotics in agri-food production;
- Supporting the creation of data-based decision-making tools to improve knowledge, reduce risk, or optimize production;
- Contributing to the implementation of a smart farm platform or network to support technology adoption.
A full list of priority focuses and eligibility criteria can be found here.
Application intakes will take place on a rolling basis, with four submission deadlines on April 3, June 5, August 7, and October 9, 2026.
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