ACC research to focus on greenhouse models and northern food security

ACC is moving forward with a new research initiative to explore greenhouse production and the impact it has on food security in northern climates.

The research project will be ongoing until 2018 and will study the production of food in three different greenhouse models: a low-tech greenhouse that relies primarily on passive solar heat, a medium-tech greenhouse that is heated via passive solar and glycol-filled solar thermal collectors, and a conventional, industry standard greenhouse.

“This research will help to strengthen access to stable food sources in many areas,” said Keith Williams, chairperson of Agriculture and Environment at ACC. “The results will be made available to northern communities to help guide them in setting up greenhouses for food production based on local climate, energy sources and available budget.”

Students in the college’s Horticultural Production and Sustainable Food Systems programs will work alongside instructors to measure the energy input into each of the three greenhouses as well as the resulting volume, quality and size of produce.

This research is being funded under Growing Forward 2, a federal-provincial-territorial policy agreement that aims to stimulate innovation, development and growth across Canada’s agriculture and agri-food sector.

ACC plans to share the results of this research through a series of capacity building workshops delivered in select communities across northern Manitoba.