Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Their core work

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) is the Canadian federal government's primary department for agricultural science, policy, and innovation. In the H2020 context, AAFC contributes specialized expertise in microbiome science, food systems sustainability, and agroecology — typically joining European consortia as an international third-party or partner bringing North American agricultural research capacity. Their involvement spans from fundamental rumen and gut microbiome research to applied agroecological farming systems, making them a bridge between Canadian and European agricultural research communities.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

AAFC's early H2020 involvement (2016-2019) centered on food science fundamentals — microbiome applications, food processing technology, and molecular biology, alongside biodiversity-related ecological research. By 2019-2023, their focus shifted markedly toward agroecological systems thinking: agrobiodiversity, organic farming, agroforestry, living labs, and soil functions became prominent. This evolution mirrors a broader trend from lab-based food science toward field-level sustainable agriculture and open innovation frameworks.

AAFC is moving from laboratory food science toward integrated agroecological approaches, making them increasingly relevant for projects combining soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable food production at landscape scale.

How they like to work

AAFC never coordinates H2020 projects — they join as third parties or international partners, which is expected for a non-EU government body. With 51 unique partners across 19 countries from just 4 projects, they consistently participate in large, multi-national consortia. This makes them a reliable international contributor who adds non-European perspective and Canadian agricultural research infrastructure without seeking to lead.

Despite only 4 projects, AAFC has built connections with 51 unique partners across 19 countries, reflecting their participation in large European consortia. Their network is genuinely pan-European with global reach as a Canadian government institution.

What sets them apart

As Canada's federal agriculture department, AAFC brings something few European partners can: direct access to North American agricultural data, farming systems, and regulatory knowledge. For any consortium needing international validation or transatlantic comparison of agricultural approaches, AAFC is a natural fit. Their dual strength in microbiome science and agroecology means they can contribute across the full chain from soil biology to food product safety.

Highlights from their portfolio

• MASTER
  Large-scale microbiome-to-food-systems project connecting fundamental microbial science to sustainable food technology and enterprise applications.
• ALL-Ready
  Strategic preparation-phase project building the European Agroecology Living Lab network — positions AAFC at the foundation of a major future research infrastructure.
• RUMIC
  Niche prebiotic research on rumen microbiomes, demonstrating deep specialization in animal gut microbiology and glycan metabolism.