Food Security Research at Assiniboine

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What is the meaning of food security?

Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food which meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life. (World Food Summit 1996)

What is food insecurity?

Food insecurity occurs when people don't have enough to eat, do not have access to food of an adequate quality and/or don't know where their next meal will come from. Adequate, secure incomes and food security have a strong association. Another important aspect is available, local, healthy produce grown year-round in a sustainable way.

Assiniboine is addressing food security with applied greenhouse research.

Sustainable greenhouse complex opened in 2013

Our current 3-bay sustainable greenhouse features:

• Commercial standard greenhouse (bay)
• Passive solar greenhouse (bay) equipped with active solar in-floor heating system
• Passive solar greenhouse (bay)

Over the past decade, our researchers have investigated various roles greenhouses can play in addressing food security. Using data gathered from this applied research, Greenhouse in a Box is the unique, self-supporting, solar prototype that will begin its year-long trial starting this summer, continuing through a prairie winter and finishing the following summer. In 2025, once the trial is complete, the intention is to move forward and offer our Greenhouse in a Box – so aptly named as all building material and equipment will come ready to assemble – to individuals, communities, and organizations. This will be a concrete step forward in addressing the lack of available fresh, healthy produce in isolated regions.

Greenhouse Expansion

Building on the success of past and current projects, Assiniboine plans to expand the current sustainable greenhouse complex and develop dedicated research laboratory infrastructure to advance horticulture research, lessen the impact of climate change on food production and improve food security.
The project will triple the capacity of the existing 3,330 ft2 sustainable greenhouse complex by adding three new greenhouses and permit scaling critically important research to commercial size. The complex will have automatic heating, cooling, lighting, fertigation and a growth chamber to provide different growth systems, conditions and space for a wide variety of studies.

The new space will accommodate hydroponic and vertical growing systems which are the industry standard systems.

New infrastructure is essential to enhancing and creating collaborations.

Research infrastructure at Assiniboine is operating at full capacity year-round. Additional dedicated
infrastructure is essential for researchers to carry out the full scope of the research, supporting sustainable agriculture and horticulture production through a series of research projects over the next three to five years. The expanded greenhouse and laboratory will enable or enhance research projects with over 20 partners, and attract new partners.

Anticipated benefits of our applied research activities:

• Expanding greenhouse cultivation can lead to local, year-round supply of fresh foods.
• local food production can reduce fossil fuels used in food transportation.
• Implementing proven greenhouse infrastructure and production techniques in Indigenous and Northern communities will enable them to produce nutrient dense crops locally in areas where growing seasons are short, productive land is scarce and there is a need to increase food security.
• Extending growing seasons and using lower-energy technologies like solar greenhouses can expand domestic production and processing of nutrient dense, crop varieties such as tomatoes, peppers, and carrots, supporting a healthy diet.
• Developing specialized production for ethnic cultures, like okra and sweet potato, can enhance social well-being as well as create new markets and economic opportunities.

Expansion will consist of:

1. New header house (will feature)

• Classroom
• Lab and research equipment
• Walk in freezer
• Walk in cooler
• Walk in growth chamber

2.The addition of 3 greenhouse bays equaling approximately 4000 Sq. Ft.

Project cost:

$4.5 million

Why now?

Two government partners believe in our vision and have supported the project with a $2 million investment. We need to match their contribution by raising $2.5 million.

Timeline

Construction is set to begin in the summer/fall of this year with an opening of fall 2025.

Donation Opportunities

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