Food Technologies | On the cusp of great change

The technology to achieve greater food self-sufficiency in Quebec is ready to be deployed in Quebec’s fields, greenhouses and farms, but there is a barrier to its implementation: its acceptance and appropriation by farmers.

“We are in the midst of change management,” says Marilou Cyr, general manager of Zone Agtech, an entity dedicated to the influence and progression of agricultural technology companies.

While things are progressing, there is still a long way to go, she agrees. Major associations such as apple, strawberry and raspberry producers, market gardeners, greenhouse owners and winegrowers are in the process of adapting. “There’s a need to demystify what new technologies can do and how much they can help business performance,” says Ms. Cyr. The challenge is really integration. »

Alexandre Porlier, engineer and professor at the Institut de technologie agroalimentaire du Québec, agrees: the technologies are there and ready, it only remains for farmers, market gardeners and agri-food business owners to know how to use them. . “Every farm is different, Mr. Porlier points out, there is not one recipe that applies to everyone! »

Is it a generational issue? Not so much, he says.

He cites as an example the deployment of artificial intelligence, the development of which and all of its applications are happening at breakneck speed. For example, in grain silos, carbon monoxide sensors linked to artificial intelligence can provide valuable information, in real time, and adjust the ventilation automatically.

“There is a question of time and a question of practice,” says Alexandre Porlier. And then there’s a matter of risk taking: what are people comfortable with? »

If Quebec wants to achieve greater food security and independence, while using less energy, land, water and chemicals, it will have to grow more varied fruits and vegetables in vertical agriculture (we already do for different varieties of lettuce, tomatoes, herbs, microgreens, for example), observes Marilou Cyr, from Zone Agtech.

The other big challenge is to increase the number of companies specializing in the manufacture of vegetable proteins such as tofu and soy – and to market them better.

She points out that in some countries, such as the United States and Israel, giant strides are being made in the development of laboratory meats (this one is created from meat particles raised in a controlled environment). “The expertise of these scientific communities is recognized and the investments are massive,” says Ms. Cyr.

One thing is certain, the transition to greener agriculture is well underway in Quebec and some companies stand out for their innovation in this area. This is the case of ESA Series, a Sherbrooke company specializing in air quality in agricultural production buildings for ten years.

The air exchangers recover the hot air evacuated from the building to ventilate the installations and heat the incoming air. In addition to maintaining a more stable temperature, this technology ensures better animal well-being by maintaining breeding conditions, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, lowering heating bills (up to 60%) and even to increase productivity, argues Gabriel Gagné-Marcotte, President and CEO of ESA Series.

“We estimate that there is a productivity gain of 2%,” he says. And by filtering the incoming air in this way, we limit contaminants and reduce the stakes of avian flu or even swine SARS. »

The company, which has patented its innovations, has deployed dozens of exchangers across the country and employs 18 people. “And it’s not over,” says Mr. Gagné-Marcotte, “our ambitions are international!” »