How do we feed

9 billion people without degrading

ecosystem services?

The University of Guelph research initiative Food From Thought is an ongoing research program to redefine agriculture for future generations. Through developing more sustainable farming practices, the research done by the Food From Thought research team will help us to better feed a growing population without damaging valuable ecosystem services. 

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Working with world-leading researchers from multiple disciplines, the Food From Thought initiative will establish Canada as a global leader in agri-food and sustainability.  

To transform agriculture's global 

impact on biodiversity via collaboration with the International Barcode of Life. 

To sustainably intensify local 

production.

To use big data analytics to enhance farm-wide food

and livestock health 

Food From Thought projects fall into six broad categories of research.

Through the integration of agriculture, technology, and big data analytics, Food From Thought will analyze trends in agricultural practices and their resulting impact on biodiversity. Clarifying these relationships  will revolutionize the way future generations will approach both agriculture and ecosystem management.

By combining theory and application, researchers from Guelph University and McGill University are working to understand the relationship between food production and ecosystem services health.  

The Ecosystem Services team has been able to collaborate with local farmers in southern Ontario through the efforts of ALUS Canada. This partnership makes the Ecosystem Service research unique, as it allows new conservation strategies to be tested out in real-world settings on local farms.

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